Community unites for brave Nicola
Accident leaves Drogheda woman in wheelchair
Donna Coddington, Gemma Johnson, Nicola Coddington and Mags McKenna supporting last Friday's benefit night.
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Wednesday July 28 2010
THOUSANDS of euro have been raised in the first week of a major fundraising drive for Nicola McDonnell, the 25-year-old Rathmullen woman who suffered severe spinal injuries following a freak accident. A family fun day ended in tragedy when Nicola fell from a bouncy castle. She has spent the last number of months in hospital at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire but is planning to return home. She suffered damage to her neck area and is now confined to a wheelchair.
'It was just one of those things. But she is a brave girl and has been terrific through all of this,' her dad, Kieran, stated this week.
Two of Nicola's friends, Yvonne Murray and Carol Halpin, helped organise a huge fundraiser in the Thatch last Friday night which drew incredible support. A major cycle from Drogheda to Belfast will also take place in late August as part of the fundraising.
A HUGE community fundraising effort has been launched to help a 25-year-old Drogheda woman who suffered severe spinal injuries following a freak accident.
Mum-of-one Nicola McDonnell from Rathmullen Park fell off a bouncy castle while playing with younger family members.
It was a simple fall that has now changed her life forever. She suffered damage to her neck area and is now confined to a wheelchair.
'It was just one of those things. But she is a brave girl and has been terrific through all of this,' her dad, Kieran, stated this week.
It has been a long and worrying road already for the McDonnell family and Nicola, but the support they've received from the people of the town has been astounding and providing true inspiration for them all.
Two of Nicola's friends helped organise a huge fundraiser in the Thatch last Friday night and a major cycle from Drogheda to Belfast will take place in late August.
That's been typical of the rallying cry that's been made on behalf of the family.
Nicola has spent the last few months in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire undergoing physiotherapy and managed to get home last week for a few days before returning to the centre. That was her first visit back to Drogheda since her accident three months ago.
Her dad admits it was 'tough' for Nicola getting home but it's a beginning in relation to seeing her return full-time.
'At the moment the people in Dun Laoghaire are looking at all the options and what can be done for Nicola and that's the situation,' Kieran added.
'We want to see her home and we are preparing for that.'
First of all the family home will have to undergo some substantial changes and efforts are being made to make it wheelchair accessible.
'Nicola will need her own area and that's all being planned at the moment.'
Following on last Friday's event, a cycle from Drogheda to Belfast on August 28th will hopefully further help the fundraising drive. It's a sponsored event and a number of GAA clubs in the town have already backed it. Entry details may be had from the SFX gym.
