Eleven-year-old Jamie Murphy who has made a dramatic recovery following an operation to correct a severe curve in her spine, is to attend the Share a Dream Foundation’s Dream Ball next weekend where she will receive an award for courage.
Jamie was one of eight children nationally to be nominated for the award out of thousands of children who were entered into the competition this year.
At the Dream Ball, which is being hosted at the Radisson Hotel in Limerick, Jamie will be interviewed on stage about her experiences living with scoliosis to date and her huge ordeal in travelling to Great Ormonde Street Hospital in London to undergo life-saving surgery in September this year.
Speaking to the Kilkenny Advertiser from her home this week, Jamie said she was very excited about the big event where she and the other seven nominees will be treated to a fantastic prize which will only be disclosed on the night.
“I’m a little bit nervous about the ball - but I am very excited too. My Mam bought me a beautiful new dress with a tiara and a fur jacket with silver shoes. It’s absolutely gorgeous!” she enthused. “When I saw it I thought it was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen!”
Jamie is a different girl from what she was prior to September 5, this year. Sitting up straight in a push chair, she is comfortable and well able to speak about her excitement about the upcoming ball. She also remembers the day of her operation, which was only made possible by the generosity of an anonymous benefactor. Jamie was on a waiting list for the operation in Ireland but had been informed that if she didn’t have the operation sooner rather than later, things may be extremely bad for her. Her parents and family have gone from petrified about her possible short future, to ecstatic that now Jamie is home and well for Christmas, as things may not have been so good had it not been for the excellent treatment that she received in Great Ormonde Street.
“I was nervous before my operation but, the doctors in England explained everything to me. Dr Suri was brilliant - I used to call him the ‘hot doctor’,” she laughed. “He was absolutely gorgeous! He came to see me every single day and told me all about my ‘Straighten Uppity Operation!’ That’s what I used to call it!.”
And although Jamie can laugh about her ordeal now - she is a very lucky little girl. She has had a miraculous recovery, spending only one full day in ICU following the marathon surgery, instead of the expected two or three weeks. The doctors were amazed at her progress.
Her Mam, Emer remembers her first concerns when she woke up from the anaesthetic.
“She said who won the match because it was the day of the All-Ireland, and she was very concerned about who had hit at Tommy Walsh!” said Emer.
“I love Tommy Walsh and I met him at a training session with Henry Shefflin and the team when Brian Cody took me into the changing rooms at Nowlan Park. Tommy kissed me!” Jamie said with glee.
Today, Jamie is in fantastic form and she clearly rules the roost in the Murphy household in Tobar Bhride in Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny. She has a special bed in her amazing bedroom which is completely pink! She has photographs of herself and her family with several celebrities, including Westlife and Santa and she also has a Kilkenny hurley signed by her other hero,enry Shefflin.
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