Kerry boy finally receives life-changing spinal surgery
14-year-old Daniel Collins is recovering in Dublin's Crumlin Hospital after a successful 11-hour surgery to correct a severe spinal curve, following months of campaigning by his family.
Kerryman
14-year-old Daniel Collins finally received the life-changing surgery he desperately required and is recovering in hospital in Dublin.
The Tralee boy underwent an 11-hour surgical procedure last Friday at Crumlin Hospital and spent three nights in ICU. His family say the surgery was 'very successful' and that medical teams were able to get a good correction of his spine.
Daniel was born with a number of disabilities including spina bifida, epilepsy and autism – all of which already require extensive 24/7 medical care. In 2023 he was diagnosed with scoliosis which was flagged an urgent case.
His parents, David and Louise, and sister, Allanna, have been campaigning vigorously since then for Daniel to receive the surgery that will help improve his quality of life.
'We aren't sure of the exact [spinal] degree yet following surgery as we still have to wait for some X-rays to be done. But you can tell he is much straighter already,' Daniel's sister, Allanna, told The Kerryman.
'He is in quite an amount of pain, but the nurses and all the team in Crumlin have been brilliant at keeping him comfortable. The care he is receiving up there is just amazing. We would like to thank the people so much again for all of their support over the last number of months, we are so very grateful,' she added.
It's been an exhausting time for Daniel who has suffered constant pain because of his condition. The Collins family have fought hard at every turn so that Daniel's surgery would not be overlooked.
A petition of over 5,000 signatures was collected calling for Daniel's surgery, while the family also threatened at one point to bring their protest to the Dáil. They demanded confirmation of a surgery date for Daniel, and a healthcare system that delivers on its promises.
A timeline of Daniel's scoliosis complications starts in July 2023 when a spinal X-ray revealed a 22 degree curve of the spine. This has continuously digressed to the point where an x-ray in August 2024 determined the curve had worsened to 78/80 degrees.
At Crumlin Hospital in October 2024, Daniel underwent an examination that confirmed his spine is operable and that a potential 50 per cent correction was possible. But in March 2025, Daniel's spinal curve had progressed beyond 90 degrees.
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14-year-old Daniel Collins is recovering in Dublin's Crumlin Hospital after a successful 11-hour surgery to correct a severe spinal curve, following months of campaigning by his family. Kerryman 14-year-old Daniel Collins finally received the life-changing surgery he desperately required and is recovering in hospital in Dublin. The Tralee boy underwent an 11-hour surgical procedure last Friday at Crumlin Hospital and spent three nights in ICU. His family say the surgery was 'very successful' and that medical teams were able to get a good correction of his spine. Daniel was born with a number of disabilities including spina bifida, epilepsy and autism – all of which already require extensive 24/7 medical care. In 2023 he was diagnosed with scoliosis which was flagged an urgent case. His parents, David and Louise, and sister, Allanna, have been campaigning vigorously since then for Daniel to receive the surgery that will help improve his quality of life. 'We aren't sure of the exact [spinal] degree yet following surgery as we still have to wait for some X-rays to be done. But you can tell he is much straighter already,' Daniel's sister, Allanna, told The Kerryman. 'He is in quite an amount of pain, but the nurses and all the team in Crumlin have been brilliant at keeping him comfortable. The care he is receiving up there is just amazing. We would like to thank the people so much again for all of their support over the last number of months, we are so very grateful,' she added. It's been an exhausting time for Daniel who has suffered constant pain because of his condition. The Collins family have fought hard at every turn so that Daniel's surgery would not be overlooked. A petition of over 5,000 signatures was collected calling for Daniel's surgery, while the family also threatened at one point to bring their protest to the Dáil. They demanded confirmation of a surgery date for Daniel, and a healthcare system that delivers on its promises. A timeline of Daniel's scoliosis complications starts in July 2023 when a spinal X-ray revealed a 22 degree curve of the spine. This has continuously digressed to the point where an x-ray in August 2024 determined the curve had worsened to 78/80 degrees. At Crumlin Hospital in October 2024, Daniel underwent an examination that confirmed his spine is operable and that a potential 50 per cent correction was possible. But in March 2025, Daniel's spinal curve had progressed beyond 90 degrees.
