A Wicklow teacher who is fundraising for surgery in America has said news that the life saving procedure was not available in Ireland was “devastating”. 

Eimear Byrne has a rare connective tissue disorder that meant she first had surgery when she was only 10 years. 

She required a further operation when she suffered an aneurysm 16 years later and suffered a stroke during the procedure. 

It meant she had to re-learn the “basic skills” of life, such as walking and talking. 

Now, however, she needs a third procedure, after doctors discovered a three more aneurysms 

The operation is not available in Ireland and she is fundraising to meet the €600,000 cost of surgery in the United States. 

On Lunchtime Live, the 30 year old Arklow woman said it has been “very stressful, as you can imagine”. 

“I think the fact that my sister had to set up the GoFundMe to help fund this life-saving surgery, I never thought I would be in a situation like this,” she explained. 

“But I have to say, the community support and the town of Arklow have just been unbelievable. 

“They're all rallying around me, they're organising fundraisers, they're doing everything they can just to try and get me to America.”

Eimear Byrne.

Ms Byrne added that she was “devastated” when she learned she had to go to America. 

“I had been through so much already,” she said. 

“The fact that I had only really recovered the last year or two from my last surgery and then to be told, actually, you need to have a third surgery, but also that it has to be done in America, it was shocking, it was very shocking.”

If you would like to donate to Ms Byrne’s fundraiser, you can do so here.

Main image: Eimear Byrne.