At the time of my injury I was in my final year of a midwifery degree and very busy with placements and assignments.  I also worked as support worker in a supported living centre for adults with severe learning difficulties.  Both my degree and support role really gave me a sense of achievement and things looked to be working out.  I was also extremely active, going to the gym most days and a competitive Irish dancer.  I love any outdoor sport or activity and would give anything a go.  At 20 years old and living with multiple friends at university I also had a very busy social life.

Traveling home from university on 21st October 2022, doing the journey I had done hundreds of times before, I was involved in a serious road accident.  Due to the wet weather my car slid going around a corner and I collided with a lorry.  I remember just before the accident and bits afterwards but it is all a bit of a blur.  I do remember that the first person to get to me after the accident was a retired nurse, and looking back I know how helpful she was at assessing me and what my potential injuries were.  She was able to really support me and gave vital advice when help arrived.  

Just after the accident I was in so much pain it didn’t really register that I couldn’t feel or move my legs, I just wanted the pain to stop.  I knew I must be in shock so I just trusted in everyone who was helping me. I was told I needed emergency surgery, a MRI and other scans.  The first few days and weeks are a bit of a blur and it’s strange but I don’t really ever remember being told about my spinal injury.  I was told there was no guarantee I would walk again and that there isn’t a crystal ball to get the answers I wanted, so I just set out to complete as much therapy and rehabilitation as possible and adopted the mentally of “ok, lets work with what I’ve got!”’

I spent six weeks in an acute setting and was then transferred to the Spinal Injury Centre at Musgrave Park Hospital where I completed five months of rehabilitation.  During this time my muscle, movement and sensation developed and I could really feel progression.  At that time I had a sense that things could have been much worse so I always tried to stay very much focused on physiotherapy and OT, and with the support of the nursing and therapy staff I persevered.

For the first month in Musgrove I was in a side bay on my own and during this time I met Alan, an Aspire Independent Living Advisor.  It was nice to see him each Thursday and chat about how my week had gone.  

Alan is really friendly and easy to chat too, and I felt like I could ask him questions that maybe other staff might not have the answers to.  It is really helpful to have someone with a wealth of knowledge to talk to every week who will find out information for you if you need it.  

I was then moved to a bay with other patients and I really noticed how having company, eating together, sharing stories, having a laugh and good conversations was really helpful.  Alan would often chat to us and offer us advice and suggestions, he’d help anyone who needed it.

Alan suggested I talk to someone from Aspire’s Welfare Benefits Advice Service to help explore what I was entitled to and how to make those claims. They were really helpful and explained everything and supported me when I needed it.  I will get in touch with them again in the future as I know they can support me if my circumstances change.
 
Another suggestion of Alan’s, and probably the one that has had the biggest effect, was when he told me about the Paralympic Ireland NextGen event.  Alan invited me along and I was able to try wheelchair athletics, basketball, rugby and loads of different sports.  It really opened my eyes to what is available and it was great to be around like minded people.  I have continued with wheelchair basketball, which I absolutely love.  I train twice a week and compete every fortnight and it’s really given me back that sense of community from being in a team and I’ve built some lovely friendships.  I also go rock climbing once a month and am actively involved in helping make such activities inclusive for disabled people. 

Throughout my journey my family and close friends have been my biggest supporters.  Shortly after my accident we lost both my Nanna and Papa within a few weeks.  This was a really difficult time for me as I was not able to attend either funeral or be with my family at home.  I feel like as much as the accident happened to me, they have been through just as much.  My sister, mum and dad are so incredible and my mum is like my personal trainer; she keeps me motivated and encourages me to keep active.  I credit my rehab progress to my family as they were so involved and encouraging.  I appreciate close friendships and I definitely appreciate the importance of positive thinking.

I feel the support I received from Alan and Aspire has set me on the right path.  Meeting Alan gave me a lot of hope and motivation and by introducing me to sports he’s had a very positive effect on me and my independence.  

Everyone I’ve dealt with from Aspire seems keen to help and they are very prompt to replying to e-mails and phone calls.  The Welfare Benefits meeting was very good and I got a lot of useful information.  It is really comforting to know I can reach out in the future to Aspire for Welfare Benefits or Housing advice. 

Independent living

Welfare Benefits Advice

Personal stories

How we help