THE mother of a 15-year-old Wex- ford boy who died from cancer has told a court that Paschal Carmody promised the boy he would cure his cancer and “at worst” he would keep SNbaeMDEA(or
Christina O’Sullivan told the trial that her eldest son Conor died on No- vember 13, 2002, just weeks short of his 16th birthday.
She said that Conor, a Liverpool fa- natic, complained of back pain and was treated by a local doctor for a slipped disc. However, he wasn’t get- ting any better and they brought him to several spinologists.
In February 2001, an MRI scan re- vealed that he had a shadow on one of his bones.
Ewings sarcoma was later identified and Conor underwent chemotherapy. She said at that stage, her eldest son was given a “50-50 chance, being on the upper end of 50.”
“Conor had to attend Crumlin eve- ry 21 days for three to four days of chemo sessions,” she said.
Between November 15, 2001 and February 20, 2002, his treatment was postponed and he underwent radio- therapy at St Luke’s in Rathgar.
An MRI scan on May 14, 2002 re- vealed that Conor’s “very nasty” tu- mor had returned.
Mrs O’Sullivan burst into tears as she recalled their plans to take the family to the World Cup in Japan that year, where Conor wanted to see Crunstvenaseem(enleie
She said that a short time after, a bone scan revealed that the tumor had progressed to the third stage and there was a spot on Conor’s skull.
Conor’s doctor told the family he could do nothing more and he was given just six months to live.
She said her sister had heard about a doctor in Killaloe who could cure cancer and she rang the East Clinic.
She said that the family and Conor’s girlfriend Helena visited the clinic that July, where they met Dr Car- mody. She said Dr Carmody didn’t carry out a physical examination of Conor.
‘His words to us were the photody- namic treatment would work a treat
on this type of cancer. He said the doctors up in Dublin don’t know the good work we do down here,” she Sr nLGE
She said Dr Carmody told them that Dr William Porter would do the treatment.
‘He came around from the side of his desk and went around to Conor and put his arm on his shoulder and said, Conor [ll cure your cancer and at worst if I don’t cure your cancer, Pll at least keep you alive,” she said.
She said Dr Porter told her that his wife Maggie had suffered from breast cancer and had been cured by the photodynamic treatment. The court was told that Mrs Porter died some time later.
She said Dr Porter told them that Conor would be put on a drip, which would go through his body and at- tach itself to the cancer cells. He would go under a laser light, which would then kill off the cancer cells. The treatment cost €7,500.
“We felt as 1f the weight of the world was lifted off our shoulders. We were on cloud nine,” she said.
She said they returned to the clinic on July 29 and Conor underwent the treatment. Whilst under the lights, Conor got very upset and cried in pain as hives came out on his body.
She said Conor was given a bottle of green liquid to take and told to put one teaspoon of the substance in a half glass of water each evening and
go under six lights.
“He had to take 15 to 20 tablets a day, to build up his immune system. They were like horse tablets, they were so big,” she said.
Counsel for Mr Carmody, Pat Mar- rinan said his client’s case “‘is slight- ly different to the case you are mak- ing out… Dr Carmody has a problem about what you say he said. Yes, you discussed the treatment that was available, but he never promised you that he would cure Conor.”
Mr Marrinan put it to her that she was desperately looking for some- thing to hold on to and may have misinterpreted what was said to her.
However, she said she would never forget what Dr Carmody had said.
“Those words, they ring in my mind. They will never, never leave my mind. I didn’t think my son was going to die, not for a minute. I just trusted everything would be ok. When he told us he would keep our son alive, we believed him.”
Mr Marrinan asked her did she know of any cure for cancer. She said she had visited a young man who had cancer, Mark Hadden, who lived 15 miles from her home, in County Wicklow. He had been to Dr Carmo- dy for several years. He passed away about a month ago.
Mr Marrinan pointed out that that young man was told, at the age of 14, that he had just months to live. He went to Dr Carmody and survived for eight or nine years.
“His wife will come to court and tell of her experience with Dr Car- mody. Mr Hadden had nothing but praise for Paschal Carmody,’ said Mr Marrinan.
‘T don’t want to be here (in court). It’s not going to bring my son back. I have no feeling whatsoever for that man. What he promised and all the money he conned people out of, I’m sitting here telling the jury the truth and I’m on oath. I’m getting nothing out of this. He didn’t keep my son alive. He didn’t even keep him alive for three or four months. Conor is with me right here now, giving me support here,” she cried.
Mr Marrinan said, “He said he’d do the best that we can,’ to which the witness replied, “No, he said he’d cure Conor. He was worse to say he could do it and take our money and promise our son he’d cure him.”
The court was told that Mrs O’Sullivan told gardai, “We were given false promises at a time when we were very vulnerable.”
Mrs O’Sullivan’s husband Derek also told the court that Dr Carmody promised to cure Conor’s cancer.
‘I find it hard to take in any more of this. I’ve been trying to get rid of it for four years or more,” he said.