'We're gutted' – Family left distraught after Eoin's spinal surgery cancelled due to a shortage of nurses

A Meath family has been left devastated after a teenager’s spinal surgery was cancelled at the last minute because of a shortage of nurses on Monday.

Eoin Ward – who has been waiting for two years for the surgery – and his family have now made a heartfelt appeal to Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin to ensure rescheduled surgery for Friday goes ahead to help alleviate the teen’s pain from a 94pc curvature of the spine.

If not, his parents Catriona and Declan, from Clonard, say they were told the earliest date they will get for his operation is February.

Eoin, who is mostly peg fed, had been told last July that he needed surgery as soon as possible.

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The 16-year old constantly smiles despite pain from holoprosencephaly, epilepsy and cerebral palsy and scoliosis.

His scoliosis was identified about six years ago and has rapidly deteriorated.

After a wait of two years, his parents were elated to get a surgery date for last Monday.

However, those hopes were dashed when his surgery was cancelled twice within 24 hours – initially due to bed shortages because of emergencies and then, when a bed became available, because of a lack of nurses needed for the intensive care unit.

“When we finally got a date for December 16 we were delighted that after two years Eoin was finally getting the surgery he needed,” said Catriona, who is also mum to Ellen (13) and Daniel (11).

“As a family we decided to put Christmas on hold this year. Our main focus was Eoin having this surgery as we see every day how much pain he is in.

“I got a call on Sunday evening from the hospital bed team to say surgery was going ahead but just 90 minutes later we got another call saying that it was cancelled due to two emergencies which had been admitted. I was devastated.

“I then got a call at 8.45am on Monday to say a bed had become available and that surgery was going ahead.

“We rushed to the hospital and had all the pre-op tests. Then Eoin’s surgeon told us the operation couldn’t go ahead because they were one nurse short in ICU.

“Eoin’s surgeon Conor Greene did absolutely everything he could for us to make that surgery happen and was just as gutted as us.”

A spokesperson for Temple Street Children’s Hospital said: “Admission dates are changed for a number of reasons.”

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