CANCELLED: The second scheduled spinal surgery for Ronan Foley which was to take place on Thursday has been cancelled for a second time in six months. Photo: Michelle Crean

By Michelle Crean

Thursday should have been the day that changed teenager Ronan Foley's life for the better - but there was huge disappointment as his spinal operation was cancelled at the last hour for a second time in six months.

The 14-year-old's condition has deteriorated so badly in the last two-and-a-half years that his spine is at a 90 degree curvature.

Ronan from Killorglin, is a former St Oliver's pupil and currently attends St Francis Special School.
The operation - when it eventually goes ahead - will be life-changing for him - freeing him of the daily pain which is so debilitating that he can barely sit up for more 30 minutes at a time to eat. He spends most of his days lying on the bed or on the floor to try to get comfortable.

His family, who say Ronan is waiting too long, went public to have his operation made a priority and were relieved to finally get the go ahead. However, following a consultation in Dublin last week, Ronan's family received the devastating call that his operation has yet again been put on the long finger due to a small procedure that he has to undergo first.

His father Tony says it's understandable that the procedure must go ahead before the operation can take place as "a risk is a risk" but said it could have been taken care of during all the months of waiting.

"We were so close," Tony told the Killarney Advertiser. "We knew he had to have this minor procedure but were told it could be taken care of after his surgery. However, the anaesthetist last week said he wants a little procedure done first as a risk is a risk, and we're in absolute one hundred percent agreement with him. But why did they leave it until the last hour? We are disappointed that this wasn't done in the months while he was waiting. It's after compromising his day of surgery. We don't know where we are now and it could be four to five months before he has the operation. It's Ronan we're thinking about."

Tony said that many emergency procedures went ahead of Ronan over the last few years but with the youngster's condition so bad now he should be priority for surgery.

"We're hoping that he'll have the minor procedure by late October and his operation by November. He has to be close enough to an emergency procedure by now. He really just wants to be pain free and every day after the operation he'll have his life back."