Bikers bring the love to Navan to help get brave Nathan to Boston

A SPECTACULAR convoy of over a 100 motorcycles lead by a Garda escort, surprised and delighted a brave little Navan boy on Sunday when they arrived at his home.

Little Nathan Ward was at home in Emmet Tce when the South Dublin Bikers and gardai, with sirens blaring, pulled up at his home at 11.30 on Sunday morning.

The ride-out, which started at the Long Mile Road in Dublin was a fundraiser for Nathan who suffers from an extremely rare condition called Primary Immunodeficiency Disorder, which requires blood transfusions and constant antibiotics, as his immune system cannot fight off infections.

Nathan's parents, Amanda and Ray, are hoping to bring their son to Boston for life-saving stem cell treatment which would mean he could live the life of a normal little boy and along with his big sister, Megan are raising funds so he can have this life-changing treatment.

Despite his condition, Nathan is a happy little boy who just loves motorcycles and gardai, so Sunday was an absolute dream come true.

"It was fabulous. He was so excited. He was talking to all the bikers and the gardai and was up on the bikes. He didn't know what was happening when he first heard the Garda siren, but he saw the gardai and all the bikes and his face lit up," says Amanda.

As well as raising funds for Nathan's treatment, the bikers brought presents for the youngster to make the day even more special.

Amanda explains that Nathan has no immune system and cannot fight infections. "He has to be kept home during winter and any time there are illnesses in the school and he cannot play with his classmates. He has to be very careful. We nearly lost him last year,"

Amanda explains that the treatment in Boston would last for about eight years so Nathan could play with friends and grow up like a normal little boy. He wouldn't need the regular blood transfusions and would be able to fight infection.

Nathan is a third class pupil of St Anne's Primary School. "He loves school and the school are amazing with him but he has to stay at home so often."

He was recently treated to a day out in Dáil Éireann by Deputy Johnny Guirke. "He absolutely loved it, he was so excited seeing everything and chatting to the gardai. He wants to be a motorcycle garda."

Nathan's condition, which affects one in a million people, was only diagnosed two years ago.

"Although he was born by emergency C section, he was fine, perfectly healthy, but as he got older he kept getting chest infections, one after the other and he was constantly on antibiotics.

"Only for his GP Dr Seamus McMenamin, he could be dead now. He had been rushed to Temple Street Children's Hospital but when he came home, he was still very sick and Dr McMenamin sent him for tests, the at Christmas 2022 we got the diagnosis.

"We have to watch him constantly and be very careful. As he has got older, he has more scar tissue in his lungs so the risks to his health are even higher.

"Nathan is our miracle baby as we lost our three-month-old baby boy, Jay, in 2013. Nathan is the heart of our home. He has taught his Daddy and I how to live life everyday.

"Even when he has to have needles stuck into his belly and is attached to drips, he is a brilliant child."

He nearly died last year when he got the 'flu and his windpipe was closing over. We have a camera in his room to watch out for him in case he gets ill during the night."

Nathan's condition is so very rare that there is very little known about it here in Ireland and there are no local support groups.

"As well as raising funds for Nathan's treatment in Boston, we want to raise awareness of his condition.

"In the early days when he was getting sick all the time, it was being put down to teething. Nathan says he wants other mammies and daddies to find out more quickly that their child isn't just teething.

"We want him to have a normal life and play with his friends at school but we are very aware that he could be one infection away from death so we need to get him this treatment.

"The stem treatment would mean everything. Nathan could be the little boy he just wants to be, he could go to school all the time, play with friends.

Nathan. who is absolutely crazy about motorbikes, won the hearts of the South Dublin bikers when they visited Navan recently.

"He was in Supermacs with his Dad and he saw a lot of motorbikes outside and asked could he go and look at hem. Ray said to go but to be careful and not to go far," Amanda explains.

"When Ray went out, Nathan was sitting on one of the bikes, chatting away to the bikers. They had given him a sticker and he thought it was one of the happiest days of his life.

"I contacted them afterwards and told them how happy they had made him and explained he is a very sick little boy."

Nathan had won the hearts of the bikers, who decided to hold a ride-out to raise funds for him.

"When we heard about his condition, we really wanted to help get him to Boston," said biker Lee Carberry Moran.

Any one who would like to help Nathan get to the US for treatment can donate by searching GoFundMe’s ‘Nathan’s Road to Boston’