Member of the Month October 2026
Our member of the month this month is Alfie McLlroy
Before his world was turned upside down, the energetic eight-year-old from Larne, Northern Ireland, was a tractor-loving boy whose bright smile could light up any room. He loved school, had boundless energy, and was always full of fun.
However, just before Christmas 2025, Alfie and his family faced devastating news. After months of back-and-forth visits to his GP, out-of-hours services, and A&E with symptoms like vomiting, severe headaches, and constipation, Alfie was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
Instead of enjoying the festive season at home, Alfie spent nearly four weeks in hospital over Christmas. He underwent two urgent, eight-hour neurosurgeries at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children to remove as much of the tumour as possible.
By early 2026, medical specialists determined that Alfie’s best next step was proton beam therapy, a specialist radiotherapy not available in Northern Ireland. In the spring, Alfie and his family travelled to Manchester for what was meant to be a seven-week stay. Mid-treatment at The Christie, his condition deteriorated sharply, leading to an emergency neurosurgery at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital to place a shunt in his brain. This required another three-week inpatient stay.
Despite the setback, Alfie bravely completed his proton beam sessions, returned home to Northern Ireland, and took a brief rest before diving straight into intensive, gruelling cycles of chemotherapy back at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
His incredible resilience paid off. In August, Alfie proudly rang the end-of-treatment bell! A follow-up MRI scan in September brought the best possible news: No Evidence of Disease (N.E.D.).
With his "Mr. Wiggly" central line now removed, Alfie is focusing on regaining his strength and stamina. He is looking forward to starting hydrotherapy sessions as part of his physiotherapy and is taking gradual steps to return to school.
As he works toward regaining a sense of normality, Alfie and his family are looking forward to a bright and happy Christmas, a world away from the one they spent in hospital last year. Through every hurdle and grueling treatment, Alfie’s big smile has never been far away. His strength, positivity, and courage over the past year have been nothing short of an inspiration to his entire family and community.
