Community rallies to help injured Cork teen who suffered brain injury

Hundreds of people have rallied to help a popular horse-loving teenager who faces a long road to recovery after sustaining a serious brain injury.

Chloe Keane, 16, who is one of a set of triplets from Bantry in West Cork, sustained injuries on Monday, August 13.

She was placed in a medically induced coma and was initially treated in the intensive care unit of Cork University Hospital.

She is recovering slowly and is now under the care of specialists in the brain injury unit in CUH, where she is expected to remain for some time.

She is then expected to transfer to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire for further intensive rehabilitation.

A GoFundMe page was set up by her older sister Jorden last week with the aim of raising €85,000 to help bring her back home to Bantry once her treatment is finished.

Hundreds of people have responded, with pledges standing at over €23,600 by last night.

The page describes Chloe, a pupil at Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí, as “a vibrant, fun-loving girl who always has a smile on her face”.

She is a huge horse enthusiast and loves nothing more than spending time with her equine friends.

“We want to get her home and back doing what she loves as soon as possible.”

Terence Gibbs, a friend of the family who runs The Clubhouse bar and restaurant at Bantry Bay Golf Club, said the entire community has been touched by Chloe’s plight, and people are doing what they can to help.

Chloe’s mother, Julie, works part-time in The Clubhouse and her colleagues have decided to donate their wages this Saturday to Chloe’s fund. They are also donating their tips for the next month to the fund.

They are also planning to serve up an all-day breakfast fest at The Clubhouse on September 8 to help the fund.

Thanks to support from Michael Moore fruit and veg and Glenflesk Meats, Mr Gibbs said restaurant staff will serve breakfasts from 10am, with all donations going towards Chloe’s fund.

Chloe’s family are personal friends and have have been for nearly 30 years. This is one small way of making one family’s tragedy that one small bit easier.

Mr Gibbs, who also runs the Cosy Cabin Bar in Bantry, said staff there also plan to donate their tips on Saturday to the fund.

gofundme.com/help-chloe-keane