‘OUR warrior Féile has faced another big week with surgery on Monday and yet another on Wednesday, all in the hope of making her more comfortable as she continues her intensive care journey.’
Féile’s mother, Maureen O’Sullivan, told Cllr Finbarr Harrington, one of the organisers of a fundraising campaign set up to support the family after Féile had to have both legs amputated following a farm accident.
Maureen said that through it all her 13-year-old daughter remains ‘her bright, bubbly self – still the teenage girl who dreams of sunshine, summer fun, and being with her friends.
‘She especially missed the Allihies Family Festival, which wrapped up on Sunday – a place she would have loved to be.’
It has now been seven weeks since the accident and while Féile’s inpatient chart could rival the size of an encyclopaedia, her mother relayed: ‘She never complains and is always so grateful – counting each surgery as one less to ensure and one step closer to home.’
Nationally and internationally people have shown their support with messages of encouragement, and 8,600 people have made donations to the StandforFéile GoFundMe page, bringing the total to €539,810, which is 83% of the €650,000 target set to cover medical expenses, equipment, and alterations to the family home in Allihies.
‘Féile’s spirit is remarkable,’ is the message from her mother. ‘Her optimism, her gratitude and her will to keep moving forward are nothing short of inspiring given a new realisation of what could have been and being so grateful to be alive.
‘She is showing us all what it means to face hardship with grace. Keep holding her in your hearts – every thought, every prayer, every bit of love is carrying her closer to recovery.’
