This is the story of Sofia, a smart, funny, playful, kind, and VERY BRAVE little girl who is currently fighting brain cancer. It is also the story of Sophia's amazing parents, Rosie and Aurius, whose world has been turned upside down, who continue to fight for their beautiful 6-year-old girl every day, and who are doing a wonderful job looking after her through an intense and extremely difficult cancer journey. Both Aurius and Rosie have had to take unpaid leave from work to care for Sophia during her treatment. Every cent raised through this appeal will go towards paying bills and other daily expenses to relieve financial stress so that Rosie and Aurius can concentrate on what matters most - caring for their little girl.

In January 2026, Sofia was at home playing with her parents and practicing handstands when she hurt her neck. At the time, her parents thought it was just a pulled muscle. They brought her to Care Doc anyway, who referred them to the hospital just to be safe. Sofia and her parents went first to Tallaght Hospital and then on to Temple Street Children's Hospital to see an orthopaedic specialist.

A CT scan was performed and showed a rotatory subluxation, a rare misalignment of the C1 and C2 vertebrae. During examination, the orthopaedics discovered several indications of cellebullar impairment and so an MRI brain scan was also performed,

To everyone’s shock, the scan showed a large brain tumour.

The world stopped for Aurius and Rosie.

A week later, on 6th February, Sofia underwent brain surgery to remove the tumour. She was then diagnosed with medulloblastoma WHO grade 4. It is extraordinary to think that had Sofia not hurt her neck while playing and had both the doctors and her parents not been so thorough, the tumour in her brain may not have been discovered.

The surgery has left a large hole in Sofia's brain resulting in ongoing symptoms. She is very unsteady on her feet and has limited control over her movements, including the use of her dominant hand, so she needs constant supervision. She also has a Hickman line (which is a tube placed on an indefinite basis into a vein in the chest to allow access for chemotherapy, medication, taking bloods etc.) that needs daily care and further limits her activity. This is a huge blow for a little girl who loves arts and crafts, loves going to ballet, and enjoys practicing her writing.

Rosie and Aurius have been told that Sofia will need a considerable amount of further treatment. Over the next year she requires proton beam radiation therapy followed by chemotherapy. The radiation cannot be performed in Ireland and so the family was offered a place in London for 6 weeks. Luckily, they have received huge support from the Gavin Glynn Foundation, who arranged flights, accommodation and daily living expenses while in London. Sofia is currently in London undergoing radiation treatment 5 days a week. Sofia must fast for the full day until her treatment in the late afternoon. She must also be given a general anaesthetic for each treatment. As anyone can imagine, this daily reality is extremely difficult for Sofia and her parents.

When she returns from London, Sofia will undergo a further 8 - 10 months of chemotherapy. It will therefore be some time before life can return to normal for Sofia and her parents. The care she requires makes it impossible for both Aurius and Rosie to return to work. While the emotional weight is already overwhelming, the financial worry only adds another layer of significant stress.

Sofia misses her friends, her school, her ballet and gymnastics classes, her toys and her house. Sophia likes her new wig, but she LOVEs her hair and is worried about losing it over the next few months. Sofia is also looking forward to seeing her grandparents and to having playdates when she gets home. And Sofia's friends all miss her and are looking forward to seeing her again soon!

Any donation, no matter how small, will make a huge difference to this family over the coming months, and will give Rosie and Aurius the space to focus on what matters the most - making sure their precious little girl can come through her cancer journey still smiling!

My name is Meadhbh and I am a friend of Rosie and Aurius. I got to to know them several years ago when our daughters became friends in creche. The two girls are still close friends and are in the same class in school. In fact, there is a group of parents who have become friends through the creche and school, and we are all participating in different ways to support Sofia and her parents. Rosie and Aurius have asked me to collect the donations on their behalf. I will then transfer the collated funds to them directly so that they can use it in whatever ways they need the most.

Thank you to everyone who has shown support so far. The amazing show of kindness and generosity has already helped Rosie and Aurius feel more hopeful and optimistic about the coming year. xxx