Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I met this morning with Sophie Redmond. She is 11 years old. She wrote me a letter and I want to put it on the record of the Dáil. I know she has written to the Taoiseach as well. Here is what she had to say.

Dear Mary Lou, Thank you for supporting me. My name is Sophie Redmond and I am 11 years old. I love watching your videos on Instagram. [So that is good.] I like how you help people and that is what I want to do when I am older.

You know I need scoliosis surgery. My friend, Chris Andrews, has been helping me look for this.

Please Mary Lou can you ask the Taoiseach if he can help scoliosis children like me and change waiting lists for good. When I have my surgery, I hope we can meet up and do my tik-tok dances.

Happy Christmas

Love and Hi 5’s

Sophie Redmond

Age 11 Loughlinstown

Sophie got her diagnosis in 2017. She was put on a waiting list for surgery to correct the curvature in her spine last March, but her doctor has warned that she might not get a date for surgery until late next year. She also needs urgent surgery on both her knees, as they can easily dislocate. The delay in Sophie's surgery means that the double curve on her spine is twisting into her lungs and pelvis. She used to play Gaelic football and she loves hip-hop but she had to give it all up because of her condition. She is an incredible young girl and her family are wonderful as well. They are sick with worry and concern. This is an issue that has been raised, not just on the Taoiseach's watch but on the watch of previous Governments. I implore him to provide us with a roadmap so that Sophie and other children and young people awaiting this surgery can have some hope and relief and some prospect of early surgery.

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