Posted online: Sep 20th, 2010

A north Derry schoolboy has received a prestigious award after battling against Leukemia.
Little Ethan McLaughlin received the child of courage award this summer after being nominated by two of his teachers at Saint Canice’s Primary School, Feeney.
The 8-year-old was diagnosed with the blood condition when was just three-years-old and has spent the following three years undergoing a grueling round of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.
The popular schoolboy’s determination to overcome his illness prompted his teachers Anne Marie O’Hagan and Joanne Mooney put his name forward for the award.
Last night Ethan’s mum Jacqueline praised the bravery for her little son.
She said: “You just don’t have any idea how proud we are, he is a credit to us. He is the type of wee fellow who never complained, he just got on with it. He still attends the clinic every three months and will continue to until he is older. He missed his first day at school, in fact he missed all of P1. During this time he received home tuition.”
Even when he was sick he was always smiling. He deserves this award and he even said to me ‘I’m not brave because I cried sometimes’. That says it all really.”
Jacqueline says Ethan has been helped in his journey by his friends.
“He loves school now and is a normal fun loving young boy, even his doctors say he is just a fun loving wee man. He plays football with all his friends and is a big fan of the Xbox, he loves playing games.
“When he was in hospital his closest wee friends would have visited him and they really cheered him up during the very bad days. They never treated him any differently, that’s the thing about children, they make no distinction.”