Help us fundraise for baby Rio's cancer treatment

Rio, whose dad and extended family are from Cork, is a happy, playful and energetic two-year-old who adores cars and spending time with his big sister Lillyrose.

In late 2022, Rio’s parents noticed he had trouble hearing and discovered he had glue ear. Thankfully, after being fitted with grommets in his ears, Rio began to hear as normal and started learning to talk.

In August 2023, Rio’s parents began to notice that he had a loss of appetite, was tiring very quickly and had pains throughout his body. Due to Rio’s delayed speech from his glue ear he was unable to communicate what he was feeling to his parents.

After these issues persisted, Rio and his parents were back and forth at their local hospital for two months due to Rio spiking a temperature constantly, walking with a limp, and going off his food and refusing to eat. After being an inpatient for 12 days at the hospital Rio's parents were told he was suffering from what appeared to be a blocked kidney. Further scans devastatingly revealed a large solid tumour located near to his right kidney and on the 25th August 2023, Rio’s family were given the devastating news that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, a rare-childhood cancer.

High-risk neuroblastoma is a particularly aggressive cancer and so the treatment for neuroblastoma is equally as aggressive.

Rio’s diagnosis has had a huge effect on the whole family, especially big sister Lillyrose who has developed a twitch in her neck since Rio was diagnosed. Vickie and Don are supporting Lillyrose to understand what her brother is going through and what may lie ahead for the family.

As of today Rio has had various surgeries and has just completed his chemotherapy. Now he is beginning his stem cell treatment. The doctors and nurses are amazed by his resilience and energy as such a young child experiencing this extremely invasive and difficult process.

Rio's family are fundraising to continue his life-saving treatment, hoping to give Rio a fighting chance to make it to his next birthday, or see his first football game, to grow old, have his first relationship and his first job.

After Rio's stem cell transplant and radiotherapy he will complete his frontline treatment with six months of immunotherapy. The medical team have informed the family that Rio will need to undergo further life saving specialist treatment in the United States for which we as part of Rio's family and friends hope to help raise funds for.

Please help support Rio through this journey. We are forever grateful to those of you who might be able to donate any amount to his cause.