‘I will never accept my disability’

ACQUIRED brain injury survivor Siobhán O’Brien, 29, says she has been able to cope with her disability because she hopes one day to overcome it.

Siobhán, from Stabannan, Co Louth, was involved in a traffic accident the day before she was due to graduate with a master’s degree in social work in October 2001.

“I will never accept my injury because I associate acceptance with giving up and that is something I will never do,” said Siobhán.

Siobhán currently works part-time in Louth County Hospital where she inputs data on a computer.

She also attends a training course to enhance her employment prospects and hopes to do social work again.

Siobhán, whose speech and short-term memory were affected by the brain injury, uses a wheelchair but is learning to walk again.

The injury also weakened her right side so she had to learn to write with her left hand.

Siobhán said she lost everything in the accident but stills hope that some day she will walk again and get back power in her right hand.

“While I can get around the house with a crutch I am still very far away from walking independently but that is not to say I won’t because I am so determined,” she said.