Cork teen with fatal brain tumor raises over $100k for life-saving US treatment

A brave Cork teenager suffering from a fatal brain tumor will be treated by a top US neurosurgeon after friends and family rallied together to raise over $100,000 for the procedure.

Aaron McMahon suffers from a rare brain cancerous brain tumor called Chordoma.

The teen is at the end of the road for his treatment in Ireland, as Irish doctors say there is no more they can do for him.

After a Pittsburgh-based neurosurgeon confirmed that he can attempt to remove the tumor, friends and family of the 17-year-old set up a GoFundMe page.

In order for McMahon to have the surgery a deposit of €100,000 was required from the hospital by April 30. 

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The initiative raised an incredible amount in a short space of time - €132,000 at the time of publication - meaning the Shanagarry native will soon fly to the States for the procedure.

The Leaving Cert student had previously traveled to Germany for proton treatment.

The 6'1" sports fanatic has said, "It is not hard to stay positive. If I feel sorry for myself I will be upset all the time. I have got to keep smiling and laughing. I find a lot of things funny. I feel like I am always tired. I feel run down. There is good and bad days.

The amount of support I am getting off (friends). The rugby lads, the GAA lads, the soccer lads, they are always there and messaging me."

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"I am not giving up. (When this is over) I will go back to my old life in sport. When the operation is over and I get my check up I will be going straight back in to the gym. The Leaving Cert and college is the drive. I would like to do something to do with woodwork," McMahon also told radio host Neil Prendeville.

To contribute to the fundraising initiative, see here.

Locals in Shanagarry, Cork, have also been organizing everything from concerts to table quizes and sporting events to help his family raise the money needed.

His mother Gail told the Irish Independent that seeing her youngest son battle cancer was "horrendous".

"It has been unbelievable to be able to take care of him and be with him through this. You have to mind him as a mother. Even before I had him, he was so precious to me. I miscarried with twins before Aaron so when I found out I was pregnant with this guy, I protected him before he was even born. He's been my baby that I really took care of since his first day. He was the best baby I had. I have been looking back of photos of him as a baby over the last few months and he had beautiful curls," she said.

"It's been horrendous what he has been going through, but also he has been so courageous and strong."

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His father told TheJournal.ie that after so much time wondering how this could have happened to them, he's heartened by the outpouring of support. 

“I’ve had moments in the car where I have pulled over on the side of the road and said why me? The kind of person I am is if we have a problem, we get a solution and we try to get options. We had no options,” he said.

“I’m elated, relieved, I’ve cried. I’m a dad, I’m a proud Irish man and he’s my boy. We’ve gone through this situation since February last year when he was diagnosed with a tumor.”