A fundraising campaign has been initiated to support the family of an eight-year-old boy who tragically passed away after fracturing his arm at school.
Matthew Breen, a resident of Rathnew, Republic of Ireland, died while being treated at Crumlin Children’s Hospital, Dublin, on November 17. Matthew sustained a double arm fracture at school and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance on November 6.
According to his family, Matthew was in good health on the day of the incident, and he was discharged from the hospital shortly after receiving treatment. Subsequently, his mother Ciara scheduled surgery at Crumlin Hospital to address his arm injury.
However, his health deteriorated at the hospital, where he was given medication and steroids but experienced persistent vomiting. A second steroid dose was administered to alleviate his symptoms, leading to breathing difficulties.
Hospital staff advised Ciara to walk Matthew around the hospital and offer him water before sending him home. By November 10, Matthew’s condition worsened significantly, and he began struggling to breathe.
Despite efforts to stabilize him, Matthew stopped breathing and emergency services were called to assist him at home. He was then transferred back to Crumlin Hospital, where he was placed in a medically induced coma and hooked up to a life support machine.
Tragically, Matthew passed away on November 17, surrounded by his family, as reported by the Irish Mirror.
In response to the family’s loss, Ciara’s sister-in-law, Lauren Frampton, launched a GoFundMe initiative to provide financial support. The campaign aims to assist the family during this challenging time, with donations pouring in from over 500 contributors, totaling more than €14,300 (£12,500) at the time of this report.
Heartfelt messages honoring Matthew’s memory have flooded in, including tributes from his former teachers and school staff, expressing their sorrow and fond memories of the cheerful young boy. Matthew’s funeral was held at St. Joseph’s Church in Templerainey, Arklow, where classmates paid tribute to him by wearing t-shirts with the inscription ‘Matthew our Hero.’
Following the funeral service, Matthew was laid to rest beside his grandfather Billy at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery in Arklow.