A Donegal woman has recalled how Make-A-Wish gave her son a “very special weekend” just months before he died.
All week, Newstalk has been raising funds for Wish Week, to help the charity continue its mission to help seriously ill children realise their dearest wish.
One such child was Erin Logue, who was the youngest of Mary Logue’s three boys.
On The Claire Byrne Show, Ms Logue described him as a “wee character” and someone who “loved life”.
“He had kind of a charm and he had a glint in his eye, he could wrap you around his finger just within minutes,” she recalled.
When he was just seven years old, Erin started complaining of a sore stomach; he was taken to the hospital and given a scan.
It was then that doctors realised had a large mass on his brain, but they were unsure what it was and he was taken to Beaumont Hospital for a further scan.
For the Logue family, it was “absolutely devastating” news.
“The type of tumour that he had was very rare,” she explained.
“And how they described it was like, it was like a tomato and that something had grown in through.
“So, the surgery was cut short because it was basically only a biopsy that they did because of the type of tumour had he stayed, had they worked more on him, he would have probably bled out.”
After six weeks in Beaumont, Erin was transferred to Crumlin and eventually doctors prescribed a course of chemotherapy.
Then, a course of radiotherapy was organised at St Luke’s.
“I have to say, I think the radiotherapy was what did him the most good,” Ms Logue said.
“It slowed down the growth of the tumour and to a certain extent, he was able to get his life back.”
View this post on Instagram
Although Erin was tired, he was able to go back to school back in Donegal.
It was there that a Letterkenny nurse suggested they get in touch with Make-A-Wish.
“The girls came to the house to have the talk and the chat with us,” Ms Logue recalled.
“He shocked us all because what he said was that he wanted a dog.
“He had never said this to us and I remember the girls saying ‘Your chin hit the table’ - because there was no mention of a dog.
“So, basically Erin’s wish was to be a knight and to rescue a dog.”
View this post on Instagram
They found a restored castle where he could fulfil the wish and the Logue family arrived for a “very special weekend” in May 2008.
“It was amazing because we knew, had an idea of some of what was going to happen but we never realised that they would go to the extent that they did,” Ms Logue said.
“The lawn was set up in medieval times; he had to fight, prove himself in battle first and then he was knighted on the steps with the king.”
However, not long afterwards, another scan was done on Erin and the Logue family were informed that the tumour was back and nothing more could be done for him.
Erin passed away in October 2008 and Ms Logue now remembers how her “wee boy” was always “full of life”.
“You just live your life in his memory or for him or as he would have lived his life; full of fun and laughter and happiness that's what he would have wanted,” she said.
If you wish to donate to Make-A-Wish, you can do so here.
Main image: Erin's Make-A-Wish weekend. Image: Supplied.
