Man raises €170k to bring daughter home
Yesterday, Pat O’Leary was anonymously offered two corporate suites at Croke park for this Sunday’s All-Ireland Football Final which he can auction as part of the fundraising efforts. Up to 12 people can be seated in each suite.
Mr O’Leary admitted yesterday that he has no definite idea of how much he will need if he is to bring his 32-year-old daughter, Catherine home to Carrigaline in Co Cork.
The HSE has refused to comment but it is understood that his daughter will only be released to an appropriate setting with full round-the-clock medical care.
Mr O’Leary is due to meet with the HSE to discuss Catherine’s long-term needs in the coming weeks.
This is just the latest effort in a campaign that has been ongoing for nearly 18 months. Money has been raised in Ireland and the US. Last month, the family were given an anonymous donation of €50,000.
Catherine has been in hospitals in Cork and London since she developed locked-in syndrome following a series of strokes in February 2008.
While undergoing rehabilitative treatment for the condition in London, she suddenly stopped breathing, leading to hypoxia, where her brain was starved of oxygen. It’s not known if she still has locked-in syndrome as the latest strokes did profound damage.
Pat O’Leary last night said he was aware of the financial battle before him and that a lot depends on what help the HSE will offer.
“We have been told by our solicitors not to do any building work on Catherine’s house until we find out what help the HSE can offer. We haven’t got this clarification yet. We will be bringing our legal team to the meeting,” he said.
Mr O’Leary initiated a court action against the HSE over Catherine’s contraction of MRSA while at CUH last year and against medical staff for failing to diagnose her brain tumour earlier. She suffered two major strokes following surgery to remove the massive brain tumour, going on to develop locked-in syndrome which left her paralysed from the neck down and unable to speak.
Before the hypoxia struck, she communicated with her family by blinking.
The Silver Springs Hotel in Cork is hosting a one-off snooker exhibition to fund raise on Friday October 23.
World Champion John Higgins will take on the best of local Cork talent.
lIf you would like to bid for the Croke Park suites, contact Catherine’s father at 086 0802969 or David Joyce at 086 3076064. Bidding will end at 3pm, Friday.
