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€20k raised for little Lil’s cancer battle

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By Michelle Crean

The family of a little girl diagnosed with a rare form of cancer have this week thanked the community - including those in Killarney where her mom worked - for raising a staggering €20,000 in just six days.

FUNDRAISER: €20k has been raised to help Lorraine and Dodi Sebestova whose seven-year-old daughter Lil was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on her hand.

A GoFundMe was set up by a Killarney man for Lorraine and Dodi Sebest, whose seven-year-old daughter Lily (Lil) was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on her hand, called an Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, just days after her seventh birthday in July.

Colleague and friend, Jason Clifford, who is a Manager at the Dunloe Hotel, worked with Lorraine for the past 15 years and immediately set up the fundraising page to help the couple who gave up their jobs to be at Lil's side. On Wednesday evening Lil finished the first round of treatment which left her exhausted, after three weeks of intensive tests.

In total she has to undergo 25 weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy between Crumlin Hospital and St Luke's in Dublin. The couple, living in Spa Road in Tralee, also have four other children and Lorraine told the Killarney Advertiser that the money raised will be a lifeline for them as costs with travel and accommodation will add up.

Her parents say little Lil is staying strong and positive but has put down some bad days.

"She's doing very well," Lorraine said. "We get glimmers of her when she's not so beaten down. She's never been in hospital before and is a happy go lucky child. She has been going since she could walk at 10 months so when you put her in a small room her personality changes."

But she added that their "little warrior is putting up a good fight".

"It's rare, it [the cancer] occurs on the extremities. It's in her thumb and palm and spreading to her ring finger. She's had so many procedures already and has been through the most horrific battle. She is just the best. She is so scared all the time but pushes through it, she is so tough. She is a warrior and made for battle."

Lorraine added that she cannot thank the communities in Killarney and Tralee, her close knit neighbours, and colleagues in the Dunloe Hotel, for the massive support to help get them through this.

"We have four other kids at home that my mom is minding. We both gave up our jobs as we want to do this together. We're a great family and we're strong. We'd be lost without our neighbours and the communities. Jason set up the GoFundMe, which we are grateful for and the generosity has been overwhelming. So many people are dropping in stuff to us including petrol vouchers. It has been unbelievable."

Jason added that Lorraine is a "vibrant and positive person", and had no hesitation setting up the page to help.

"She is just one of those girls everyone clicks with. I just wanted to do something. We think the most of her here."

To make a donation go to GoFundMe: Help Lily Anna Sebestova

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Massive Park Road housing development given green light

A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road. The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near […]

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A private developer has been given planning permission to build 249 new residential units at Upper Park Road.

The development, which will be built on a recently cleared site near An Post’s sorting office, will include a variety of properties from five-bed houses to single apartments, along with a crèche and over 500 car spaces and over 300 bike spaces.

The development has been welcomed by local councillor Martin Grady.

“Killarney has a massive housing shortage so this is very positive. It will retain young families in the area, stimulating economic growth,” he said. “After 17 years of different planning applications it’s finally coming to fruition.”

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Ballydribeen residents living in fear due to anti-social behaviour

Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate. Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits […]

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Residents in the Ballydribeen are living in fear as a result of increased anti-social behaviour in the estate.

Several serious incidents in the estate have resulted in several Garda visits in the last week.

Local councillor Martin Grady told the Killarney Advertiser that residents are “living in fear” as a result of very serious incidents in the last week alone.

One house in the estate was badly damaged when fire crackers were placed inside a letter box.

Another house had its windows smashed in over the weekend.

“It’s a major problem,” added Grady after meeting residents there earlier this week.

One of the most serious incidents occurred on Tuesday night.

A passing motorists had rocks thrown at his car while driving along the bypass whch is adjacent to the estate.
Taking to social media, local primary-school teacher Pádraig O’Sullivan posted:

“Travelling home tonight, at 11.05pm on the Killarney side of the bypass our car was hit by a rock – not a pebble – from the Ballydribben side , which hit the passenger door.

“It was centimetres away from hitting the window where my father, who is visually impaired, was sitting.

“This could have caused catastrophic permanent injury to him.

“The Killarney Garda were on the scene within three minutes.

“They can’t be patrolling the bypass all night.

“It comes down to parenting. You should know where your children are at this hour and be able to teach them what’s funny and what ruin a person’s life or cause a fatal crash.“

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