Family of young girl with scoliosis forced to travel to the US for surgery

Kenneth Fox

A young girl who was removed from a scoliosis waiting list after four years has been forced to travel to the US for urgent surgery.

Seven-year-old Roxanne Kelly from Carlow is one of a group of kids who were under the care of a consultant here, who is now under investigation.

New figures show 525 scoliosis surgeries on children were cancelled between 2022 and 2025.

Roxanne had previously travelled to Florida, where she had multiple surgeries on a rare condition called arthrogryposis, because there was nothing doctors could do for her here.

Roxanne's mother, Mairin, says they have been forced to set up a fundraiser to get her back to Florida for more urgent surgery.

"We went into a brand new surgeon, and it is really the same story again. He doesn't want to put her on the waiting list here in Ireland.

"She is ready for surgery in the United States, but because she is not on the surgical waiting list, she cannot get any funding from the HSE to go abroad.

She said they are taking it into their own hands again by fundraising for the money to go to Florida.