Pioneering surgery offers Galway toddler the chance of a normal life
Denise McNamaraNews
The family of a two year old Galway toddler – born with severe hearing and feeding difficulties – need to raise at least €100,000 to give their son the chance of a normal life.
Sebastian McDonnell was born with a cleft palate, microtia and atresia which have left him with underdeveloped ears and no ear canals and a small jaw which affects his feeding.
He wears a bone conductive hearing aid which allows him partial hearing – but a pioneering surgeon in Los Angeles has held out hope of life-changing surgery.
The operation involves the reconstruction of an outer ear using a porous implant called medpor in a single painless outpatient surgery at age three or four. The team can create ear canals in order to restore hearing at the same time.
But the surgery alone will cost €110,000 – without living expenses in Los Angeles.
“We have no choice. That’s the best option open to him,” exclaims his dad, Tuam native Mike McDonnell, who lives with wife Maya and their other daughter Amy, 7, in Rahylin Glebe, Ballybane.
An account in Permanent TSB has been set up for the toddler, called HELP SEBASTIAN HEAR
Account Number: 21253471. Sorting Code: 990742
See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.