Family hopes to give resilient little boy diagnosed with aggressive cancer ‘a fighting chance’

A family from Co Cork is hoping to give their resilient little boy a ‘fighting chance’ after he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. 

A “playful and energetic” two-year-old, Rio McCarthy, has been diagnosed with a rare-childhood cancer, a stage four high-risk neuroblastoma. 

After going “back and forth” to their local hospital for two months, Rio’s parents were told their son was suffering from what appeared to be a blocked kidney. 

After scans revealed the little boy had a “large solid tumour” near his kidney, the family was told Rio has a “particularly aggressive” cancer.

Appealing for the public’s help, Rio’s family and friends, said in a statement: “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.”

To help Rio continue his treatment, they have organised a fundraiser. 

“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,” they said. 

You can help Rio via donating here.