Cork family trying to raise funds for son's surgery
The family have just weeks to raise another €12,500 for the operation to go ahead.
An East Cork family are struggling to raise €37,000 to meet the cost of their son's surgery in Italy amid claims that the HSE pulled the plug on financing the operation.
Chloe Walsh's 2 and a half year old son Josh is deaf and needs an auditory brain stem implant.
His mum says that the HSE had referred Josh to Italy for the surgery and agreed to pay for the operation in January which costs €76,000.
Chloe says the day before she flew out to Italy she contacted the HSE to pay the surgeon's deposit however she was informed that as he is a private surgeon operating in a private hospital the procedure is not covered under the Treatment Abroad Scheme.
In a statement the HSE says they had approved treatment for Josh in a public hospital but not in a private hospital and adds that the scheme has never withdrawn an approval and at no time has approval been given for a patient to attend a private hospital abroad.
The HSE says it remains available to liaise with Josh's family.
Meanwhile, Chloe's family has rallied and managed to raise half the costs yesterday to allow the surgery go ahead on Saturday and the surgeon has agreed to defer his payment.
Speaking on the Neil Prendeville Show Chloe's mum Celine says they now have just four weeks to find another €12,500 or Josh's implant won't be switched on.
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