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Demonstration planned in Dublin to highlight boy's death and spinal surgery crisis

A demonstration march is to be held in Dublin city centre in memory of Harvey Morrison Sherratt (9), who died from a sudden illness last month after he had waited several years for spinal surgery. The protest, which will also highlight prolonged children's spinal surgery waiting lists, is due to start at 2pm on Saturday, August 23rd, at the Garden of Remembrance, and finish at Custom House Quay. Advertisement Harvey Sherratt's parents, Gillian Sherratt and Stephen Morrison, will attend the demonstration. 'We would appreciate if you all could join us as we march in protest for #JusticeForHarvey,' Ms Sherratt posted on X. In an interview with this reporter, Gillian Sherratt said she and her husband 'will not stop' campaigning for adequate healthcare for children, particularly for those who urgently require it. 'We're not going to go away,' said Ms Sherratt. Advertisement Asked what she wanted Harvey's legacy to be, Ms Sherratt replied: 'It literally should be, for these children to get the care that they are entitled to, and that they bloody deserve.' Disability rights campaigner Bernard Mulvany opened a GoFundMe page to raise funds to stage the 'Justice For Harvey' demonstration on August 23rd. 'Any outstanding funds [will be] given over to Harvey's family for them to administrate. Please help us to celebrate Harvey's life and to shine a light on how he and many other children in our society are being failed,' Mr Mulvany said. Ms Sherratt called on the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, to 'recall the Dáil' from its summer recess early, to debate the ongoing crisis in children's spinal surgery. Advertisement She asked Mr Martin to support her and her husband's call for a public inquiry into governance of orthopaedic services at Children's Health Ireland (CHI). Ms Sherratt and Mr Morrison also called on the Tánaiste and leader of Fine Gael, Simon Harris, to resign over the debacle. In 2017, when he was serving as minister for health, Mr Harris said he was 'ashamed' of the prolonged waiting lists and pledged that 'no child' would wait longer than four months for scoliosis surgery. Harvey waited seven years for his spinal surgery, including 33 months on and off an active waiting list. Advertisement Despite Mr Harris's failed 2017 health pledge, as well as his successors in the role, ex-Fianna Fáil TD Stephen Donnelly and current health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, also pledging to tackle the scoliosis scandal, dozens of children continue to wait more than four months for spinal surgery. Near the end, wheelchair-bound Harvey, from Clondalkin, Dublin, could no longer sit for any long periods in his chair, as scoliosis twisted his ribcage, putting pressure on his heart and lungs. In February 2024, seventeen months prior to Harvey's death, his father explained that the curvature on his son's spine had extended so much he was at increased risk of death unless he received a timely surgical intervention. Desperate to highlight his son's ordeal then, Mr Sherratt pleaded for his son's surgery and said: 'Harvey will die. He absolutely needs the surgery.' Advertisement Six months later, in August 2024, Harvey's mother discovered that despite their public calls for Harvey's surgery, her deteriorating son was inexplicably no longer on CHI's active surgery waiting list. Then the Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil party leader Micheál Martin described Harvey's disappearance from the waiting list without his parents consent or knowledge was 'shocking' and 'not good enough', and he said CHI should 'apologise' to Harvey's family 'and arrange a surgery'. Harvey eventually had his spinal surgery in December 2024, eight years after his parents were first informed by a consultant surgeon that Harvey would require the operation to prevent his spine crushing his ribcage and killing him. Gillian Sherratt said that by the time Harvey actually had his surgery, his spinal curve was so extended it could not be fully corrected, nevertheless the surgery helped provide Harvey with an additional eight months of life. The boy's health suddenly deteriorated two-and-a-half weeks ago and he died on July 29th. Harvey's death refocused the spotlight on the scoliosis waiting list and concerns expressed by Harvey's parents, as well as scoliosis and spina bifida advocacy groups, around governance at CHI. Ms Sherratt said other children like Harvey, who have 'complex' health issues and require 'timely access' to surgery, are still not receiving adequate treatment at CHI. According to latest data published by CHI, 74 children were waiting longer than four months for spinal surgery, as of the end of July. A further 57 children were waiting up to three months. One child was waiting more than four years. Ireland Simon Harris 'did all he could' on child scoliosis... Read More Out of a total of 231 children waiting for spinal surgery nationally, 131 children were on CHI's 'active' surgery waiting list, previously occupied by Harvey before his name disappeared from the list without explanation. In response to calls to resign, the Tánaiste said he did previously make representations on Harvey Sherratt's behalf to the Department of Health and to CHI, but, he said, he had always maintained that any medical intervention would have to be clinician-led. A spokesperson for Mr Harris said the Fine Gael leader had spoken to Ms Sherratt and they were planning on meeting soon. The Tánaiste's spokeswoman said Mr Harris had also sought, through Minister MacNeill, a full multidisciplinary report on the timeline of care provided to Harvey.