Belgooly walk in May will raise funds for Margaret

Margaret O’Dwyer

A WALK has been organised from Belgooly GAA pitch in May for a local woman who has suffered from a debilitating illness since she was 15.

The Margaret O’Dwyer Fund has been set up to raise money for Margaret, who suffers from a condition called schwannomatosis.

This results in multiple benign tumours growing all over the body. Although they are benign, they cause excruxiating pain when the growing tumour compresses a nerve and not even the highest form of pain relief will keep it at bay.

Recently, Margaret had to undergo an operation which resulted in her being paralysed from the waist down. She is currently in Dun Laoghaire rehabilitation centre in Dublin, but is expected home in three weeks.

Margaret is 43 and lives in Dunderrow with her partner Paudie and daughter Michaella. Since her condition was first recognised she has undergone a total of 21 operations – 15 of which were spinal operations.

There are multiple tumors left which can’t be operated on as there is too much scar tissue to make an operation viable. Margaret has been in hospital since last April, first CUH for 7 months, and now Dun Laoghaire.

The family is hoping to raise enough money to provide Margaret with an electric wheelchair and a mobility motor vehicle so she can regain some of her lost independence.

She will also need physiotherapy on a daily basis.

The walk will take place on May 23rd at 3pm from Belgooly GAA pitch.

See www.facebook.com/margaretodwyerfund/ for more