€30,000 raised in one day for Cork man who suffered traumatic brain injury
Ryan Murphy suffered a traumatic brain injury last October.
A fundraising effort for a Cork man who suffered a “traumatic brain injury” has raised more than €30,000 in one day.
The family of Ryan Murphy set up a GoFundMe after the 28-year-old was injured in October last year.
The 28-year-old's family still don’t know exactly what happened to him.
Ryan’s sister-in-law, Tracey, said that they don’t think they will ever know what happened.
She told the : “He was just out for a walk by himself and he was found.
“We only got a phone call [to say] that he was on his way to hospital [Cork University Hospital] and we were told that he had suffered a brain injury. And that it was quite serious.”
It was discovered that Ryan had a bleed in the brain and he required surgery to relieve pressure.
The family were told that even if he did pull through, there might not be much hope. Following the surgery, he went into a coma for three weeks.
During that time, brain scans revealed that Ryan had had a stroke. His medical team said they did not expect him to live, but he beat the odds and regained consciousness in November.
Ryan had further setbacks including contracting Covid-19 and a further surgery for an infection of his skull.
However, he is now on the road to recovery and has been in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dublin since March.
“He’s a guy now who has to try and learn everything from scratch,” said Tracey.
She said that Ryan has been in the NRH for around three-weeks and the staff there, and in the CUH, have “been amazing” to him and the family.
“He’s progressing slowly and he’s coming on as best as can be.”
Tracey said that Ryan will never fully recover from the injury and that he has to “learn the basics”.
He will have to re-learn things like swallowing food correctly as well as "how to move his hands" and "how to put weight on his legs to stand".
“These are all things that we hope in time he will recover, as best as possible.
“He’ll never be the same again but we’re trying our best to provide him with the equipment, services, anything that he would need, to get the best out of him to get the best possible recovery.”
Tracey said that money raised will go towards Ryan’s recovery.
One of those things will need is a new form of transport for Ryan.
“Obviously we need a car that has wheelchair accessibility.
She said they will need things like a new bed, electric hoists, gym equipment as well as physio and speech and language therapy.
Tracey said that they will also need home help when he leaves the NRH.
She said they know the HSE will be able to offer some help and the Go Fund Me appeal isn’t “a nose up to anything” but they want to make sure that Ryan gets the very best care possible and that they can maintain it for the long term.
Tracey said that at the moment, Ryan has good days and bad days.
She said it is “tough” mentally for him to adjust.
She said trying to get him motivated to work on his recovery is a battle as Ryan suffers from poor mental health.
“He’s doing very well with his feeding. Considering a month ago I don’t think he could hold a spoon and we were shown a video the other day of him putting a spoon into his mouth, feeding himself.
“That in itself is such an achievement for him.” People can donate to Ryan Murphy’s Road to Recovery here.
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