Brave Donegal girl undergoes innovative T-cell therapy in UK as part of battle against leukemia

Donegal Town girl Kaitlyn Glackin who is undergoing treatment for leukemia in the UK has undergone T-cell therapy, her family have reported.

Kaitlyn’s mum Sarah Jane shared the news that the brave 11-year-old is now recovering from the therapy.

It has not by any means been plain sailing for Kaitlyn and her family. But they are taking things day by day and are very grateful for the support they continue to receive from the community.

Sarah Jane Glackin said: “It was a worrying time and she did have side effects, but thankfully not life threatening. 

“She did suffer neurotoxicity and emotional lability with extreme continuous temperatures up in the 41C that would not come down for nearly a week, and diabetes, but thankfully she stayed stable and they were able to manage and look after her on the ward without needing ICU that was on standby.”

The therapy consists of Kaitlyn’s own T-cells being removed, having a drug added to them to make them into what Ms Glackin describes as “the army inside Kaitlyn to recognise and kill off leukemia cells.”

It will be some time before Kaitlyn’s medical team will know if the treatment worked, and there is no way of knowing how long it will continue to be effective.

But, as her Mum says: “It is still a hopeful and promising treatment and an extra lifeline that we didn’t have a few years ago.”

Anyone who wishes to help financially support the family through this challenging time can do so via the gofundme page Support Kaitlyn And Her Family.