JJ Sheridan

“Listening to people is at the heart of everything we do.” Mary Lou McDonald brought my daughter Katie’s case before the Dáil on the first day of the 2026 term. But she never contacted me before doing it. She never contacted me afterwards. She never asked how Katie was coping, whether anything had changed, or whether the HSE had finally made a decision. There was no follow-up. No phone call. No email. Nothing. Katie is still living in severe pain. She is still waiting for surgery that no surgeon in Ireland can provide. Her life remains on hold while we fight to raise €400,000 to bring her to Florida. So it is difficult to read posts saying that people’s voices matter and that listening is at the heart of everything you do. Katie’s voice mattered when her name was spoken in the Dáil too. Her story should not have been raised for a headline and then forgotten. She is a real person, not a political talking point. You say you want to hear people’s experiences. I have been trying to make people listen to Katie’s experience for almost 16 years. We are still waiting. Please help us get Katie the surgery she desperately needs: gofund.me/25afd634e