‘The start of something new’ - Inspirational Zach attends first day at school

There was a proud moment this morning as Zach McCrossan made his way to his first day at school.

Five-year-old Zach had his bag packed, and off he went to start a new chapter as a pupil in Junior Infants at Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál in Letterkenny.

Zach was previously diagnosed with high-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder that progressed to Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

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He could not receive the treatment he needed in Ireland, so the McCrossan Family travelled to the Netherlands. Zach then received a stem cell transplant at the Princess Máxima Centre for Pediatric Oncology in Utrecht.

There was a major fundraising drive for Zach at home, and today, his parents, Gary and Patrice (née Rodgers) from St Johnston, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia herself, have thanked everyone who helped them on their journey.

“Schoolbag on his back and the whole future ahead of him,” they posted. “Today is Zach's first day at school.

“For those who've followed our journey, you know how much those words mean. After Zach's diagnosis, his bone marrow transplant in Utrecht, and everything we faced over the last couple of years, today felt like the start of something new.

“To every single person who held us up when we couldn't stand, the messages, the meals, the fundraising, the prayers, the phone calls, and the steady presence of people who just showed up, we want you to know that Zach walking through those school gates this morning is yours too. You helped get him there.

“Patrice has fought her own incredible battle alongside him, and the strength of this family has been built on the love and support of so many people around us. Today, we look forward with gratitude and a heart full of plans to give back to the community that carried us.”