This is the GAA family at its very best.
For something like this, everyone in the GAA is one. For something like this, everyone has their shoulder to the wheel for one of their own. For Kevin Carey.
The former Antrim footballer was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour last year and his last hope now is to pioneer immunotherapy treatment that costs £205,000.
Two weeks ago, doctors told the Portglenone man’s family that the 35-year-old had a life-expectancy of just three months but in a story of true courage and will, Kevin Carey is fighting with all he has.
On July 26, he underwent a truly harrowing experience so that 95-97% of the tumour could be removed.
“Kevin had fully awake (local anaesthetic) brain surgery, which lasted 5 hours,” his wife Natasha explained.
“The neurosurgeon checked Kevin’s functions (movement, speech, vision) throughout. The awake surgery was a horrific experience for Kevin. The neurosurgeons said Kevin experienced a lot of pain, and that “he gave them everything he had”.
“One experienced neurosurgeon said it was one of the hardest things she has ever had to witness. Kevin has taught them, and me, what strength really means.”
Now, with still 3-5% of an aggressive tumour remaining, Kevin still needs treatment to halt its growth and prolong his life.
Immunotherapy teaches the immune system to find and attack the brain cancer cells but it is only available privately and the Antrim native would be pioneering the treatment.
It also costs £205,000 but Kevin’s friends and family have rallied the GAA community into a frenzy and the Gaels of the world are responding and it is just touching.
That was the state of the fundraising efforts on Carey’s GoFundMe page at 10am on Friday morning. After one day.
Everyone wants to help and every little bit of it really does go a hell of a long way.
#GAAFamily ➡️Kevin Carey ➡️ H E L P 🔽https://t.co/xHTgxArmw5
— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) August 11, 2016
The efforts won’t stop.
Not when so much progress has been made in such a short space of time.
And Kevin’s efforts certainly won’t stop either. That’s not in his nature.
In his own words, “I won’t be beaten. I want to fight.”
You can donate to the cause here. Stay strong, Kevin. The whole GAA family is behind you.
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