A fundraising campaign for life-changing medical treatment in the USA for Laytown boy Rían Byrne Hanlon (7) is being aided by local thespians, the Duleek Drama Players. Rían, who is in senior infants at Bettystown’s Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa, has Duechenne Muscular Distrophy (DMD).
The performance of the Duleek Player’s new production ‘All The Way Back’ on Thursday, March 26th in Drogheda’s Droichead Arts Centre will be a fundraiser for Rían’s Army.
Rían is a lively, fun-loving child but the muscle wasting disease DMD is slowly eroding his mobility, said dad Mark Hanlon. The gene therapy treatment available in the U.S would be life changing. It would give Rían back his mobility and his chance at life,” he added.
Ireland has just started the approval process for a new type of DMD therapy but Rían’s parents fear that by the time the new drug is approved for use here it may be too late for Rían.
The family set up Rían’s Army with the aim of raising the €2.7 million needed to get him specialist treatment in the USA. We know the earlier you start this treatment, the more mobility you can save for the child. However, once the muscle has been lost, it’s gone, Mark explained.
So for the family it is a case of the sooner they can get this treatment for Rían the better his chances are.
The Duleek Drama Players are keen to help Rían’s Army as one of their members, Katie O’Neill, is a teacher at Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa and the school’s head mistress, Councillor Maria White, is a former member.
We were touched by Rían’s story so we decided to get involved, said the group’s director, Guy Lynch. Our audience can enjoy a great night’s entertainment at All The Way Back while also contributing to a great cause.
A domestic drama wrapped in humour, the comedy by Bernard Farrell runs from Tuesday, March 24th to Saturday, March 28th in the Droichead Arts Centre.
The group’s performances will also support Drogheda Cares for the Homeless on Tuesday, March 24th while Mellon Educate Africa will benefit from the performance on Wednesday March 25th.
The show starts at 8pm, tickets are €18 and can be had from droichead.com.
We would encourage people to join us for a great night of hugely entertaining comedy drama while supporting one of these very worthwhile causes, said Guy.
