Beara teen marks milestone in her hospital recovery journey

FÉILE O’Sullivan, the 13-year-old from Allihies who lost both legs in a farming accident, regards her move out of Crumlin’s intensive care unit and into a general ward as one step closer on her journey home.

Cllr Finbarr Harrington, a spokesperson for the StandForFéile GoFundMe campaign, which has reached the €707,000 mark, confirmed that Féile had been in intensive care since the accident on July 2nd but moved into a general ward.

Helping Féile in her recovery is her dog, disarmingly called Beara, and the love and support she continues to receive on a daily basis from her mother, Maureen, her grandparents Martin and Mary O’Sullivan, her friends, and her community, as well as the incredible medical team at Crumlin Hospital.

Today, after more than 50 operations, Féile is in a general ward with other children after doctors deemed her fit enough to make the move.

‘It’s a great sign that she is on the road to recovery and that much closer to coming home,’ said Finbarr, who explained that Féile is expected to return to Beara in a couple of months, for one month, before heading to the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire for four months of therapy.

Féile is getting to grips with a new electric wheelchair donated by a family in Cavan, and a new, specially adapted car has been independently provided as part of the recent All-Ireland GAA Golf Classic fundraiser.

The €50,000 vehicle was supplied by Michael Lyng Motors in Kilkenny. At that golf classic Kerry’s All-Ireland winning team resolved to visit Féile in Crumlin: and they turned up on Sunday October 19th with the Sam Maguire.

Finbarr said Maureen and Féile had been at the start of a new house building project before the accident, but work was halted because it would need to be specially adapted to meet Féile’s needs.

An architect, who wishes to remain anonymous, ​ volunteered to redesign the house .

‘The architect has a daughter who uses a wheelchair so she really understands what Féile will need,’ said Finbarr.

A bullock exceeded its €3,500 target as the ABP Food Group in Bandon paid €12,000 for it with the funds donated directly to the StandForFéile campaign.

Finbarr said: ‘Given the severity of the accident​, and the number of operations she has had, she is grateful to be alive. The fact that she is extremely happy is testament to her overwhelmingly positive mindset.’