An Irishman's daughter who is undergoing a cancer battle was highlighted by US President Joe Biden in his State of the Union Address.
Waterford native Maurice Barron, his wife Kandice and daughter Ava were welcomed by President Biden during the Address.
The family was praised by the US President during Tuesday night’s ceremony.
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Mr Barron, a native of Co Waterford, is now based in New York with his wife Kandice and their three-year-old daughter Ava. Just after Christmas in 2021, the Irishman wrote to President Biden, whose son Beau died from cancer in 2015, about Ava's cancer battle.
In the letter Mr Barron wrote: "Please know that your strength gave me strength and the embrace of your emotions allowed me not to feel as if I was somehow less when mine overtook me."
A short time later, Mr Barron and his family received an invite to the White House as President Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot initiative, which sets out to "end cancer as we know it."
The Barron family were back in Washington this week after being announced as guests of First Lady, Dr Jill Biden.
President Biden said in his Address: "Maurice and Kandice joined my State of the Union tonight.
"An Irishman and a daughter of immigrants from Panama. They met and fell in love in New York City and got married in the same chapel as Jill and I got married in New York City.
"He wrote us a letter about his little daughter Ava and I saw her just before I came over. She was just a year old when she was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease, cancer.
"After 26 blood transfusions, 11 rounds of radiation, eight rounds of chemotherapy and one kidney removed (she) was given a five per cent survival rate."
President Biden added: "He wrote how in the darkest moments he thought, 'If she goes, I can’t stay.' Many of you have been through that as well. Jill and I understand that, like so many of you.
"And he read my wife Jill’s book describing our family’s cancer journey and how we tried to steal moments of joy where we could with Beau.
"For them, that glimmer of joy was the half-smile of their baby girl. It meant everything to them."
President Biden explained that the Barrons never gave up hope for their daughter.
"Little Ava never gave up hope. She turns four next month.They just found out Ava is beating the odds and is on her way to being cured of cancer, and she’s watching from the White House tonight if she’s not asleep already.
"For the lives we can save — for the lives we can save and the lives we’ve lost, let this be a truly American moment that rallies the country and the world together and proves that we can still do big things.
"Let’s end cancer as we know it. Cure some cancers once and for all. Folks, there’s one reason why we’ve been able to do all of these things: our democracy itself. It’s the most fundamental thing of all.
"With democracy, everything is possible. Without it, nothing is," the American leader added.
Maurice joined Ryan Tubridy on RTE Radio 1, where he outlined his shock at being invited to the State of the Union Address.
"I couldn't comprehend it really," Maurice told the RTE presenter.
"He said 'would I be able to make it?' Which, you know I said, 'I absolutely would.' He said, 'that's great, now you cannot tell anyone until we announce this. This has to be a secret that you, Kandice and Ava keep to yourselves...this is a White House secret.'
"It was so out of nowhere, I couldn't really believe it."
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