Brave hurling fan beats cancer after three year battle
A brave young hurling fan is celebrating this week after beating Leukemia in a three year battle which never stopped him watching his beloved dad's team train.
Ben McCormack and his family in Kildalkey, Co. Meath had the best celebration ever last Sunday after the nine year old finished his intensive chemotherapy treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
His parents Mark and Michelle said they can now finally smile with relief knowing that their son has over a 90% chance of cancer never returning.
Ben was just six years old when a pain in his leg began a nightmare journey through hell for himself and his family.
"He had a pain in his leg on and off for two weeks but we just put it down to hurting it in the schoolyard," said his father Mark.
"It never crossed our minds it could be anything serious until one day he came home from school, went up to his bedroom and changed into a different boy.
"He was pale and completely crippled with the pain.
"Our GP rushed him to Temple Street Hospital - where we faced the longest wait of our lives, before being told he had Leukemia.
"We were then transferred to St John's oncology ward in Crumlin the next morning.
"The battle started there and Ben had his setbacks but St John's Ward in the hospital always reminds you that there is some young person worse off than you are.
"All through the treatments, he was great. He never complained once and he never asked why him."
Ben was a trojan fighter through the three long years with the support of his parents and siblings Alex, 6, and Molly, 4, and he finally reached the light at the end of a long and dark tunnel.
"He took the last round of chemotherapy on Saturday night and we had a great day with family who live beside us on Sunday.
"His mum Michelle has been super through this and gave up her job to look after him full time. She was our rock. The staff at the hospital were also amazing and you never know how much they really are there for you, until your child needs them.
"His immune system is still weak so we have to continue to be careful in Covid-19 but one thing he is really missing is the hurling.
Through it all, he has never missed a training session of Kildalkey Hurling team and he was delighted with our win in the Meath Snr Championship last year - he'll be a special guest when GAA matches return, that's for sure."
