29-02-12

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18,000 COPIES WEEKLY Darren eyes dance glory Page 2

Mock Wedding for Daffodil Day Page 5

Baby Ellen’s fight for life

Vote for Parade Grand Marshals Page 12

Wednesday 29th February, 2012. Vol. 5, Issue 9. 63 Clanbrassil Street, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Tel: 042 9320888 Fax: 042 9329676 Email: editorial@dundalkleader.com / advertising@dundalkleader.com

By Paul Byrne

A Dundalk couple are hoping to raise €45,000 to send their ten month old baby girl to America for life saving stem cell treatment in April of this year. Little Ellen Barron McGee has a rare life threatening condition called Mitochondrial Disorder which means that she probably won’t see 18 months if she doesn’t receive the stem cell treatment soon. Ellen is the daughter of Lisa McGee from Ashling Park in Dundalk and Tom Barron from Dublin. She also has a twin who does not suffer from this condition. Lisa and Tom lost their son Christian to the same condition ten years ago and with the help of friends they plan on organising numerous fundraising Above: Ellen Barron McGee needs urgent treatment to save her events to ensure Ellen is given a life; top right: Ellen’s mother Lisa with her twins.

chance of survival. The Mitochondria is the part of the cell responsible for energy production. If the Mitochondria is defective, your body cannot function as it should. The brain becomes impaired, muscles start to twitch spastically and weaken, the heart does not pump correctly, vision becomes impaired and the list can go on. Audrey Mackin who is a Continued on Page 7

Girls turn 12 on third birthday By Eunan Whyte

Two local school girls will celebrate abig occasion today when they turn 12 on what is only their third birthday. Rachel Watters, from Mountainview and Sarah Cairns, from the Racecourse Road, have had to wait four years to celebrate their official birthday, having been born on Leap Day in 2002. Full story page 10


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