A fundraising campaign has been launched to assist a mother-of-two from north Dublin who is in critical condition in hospital after collapsing and hitting her head while on a family trip, reports The Mirror.
Emma Hickey, a Kilbarrack native from Dublin 5, had recently flown to Tenerife with her husband Stephen and their two young children for what was meant to be “a well-deserved family holiday and break from the day-to-day”.
But shortly after arriving in the popular destination, the holiday “turned into every family’s worst nightmare” when Emma suffered a major head injury that left her in a coma, reports The Mirror.
Friends of Emma say she had been bitten by a mosquito, which “lead to a worsening infection” and ultimately caused her to collapse and strike her head on a tiled surface on Sunday.
She suffered a serious head trauma from the fall and was immediately taken to hospital, where she is now in an induced coma, reports The Mirror.
Emma’s recovery is expected to be “long, uncertain, and incredibly challenging”, prompting her friends to come together and create a GoFundMe page to support the family during this difficult journey.
The fundraising campaign was organised by Emma’s friend Karen Whelan, who wrote the following on the GoFundMe page: “Our beautiful Emma is critically ill in Tenerife. What was meant to be a well-deserved family holiday and break from the day-to-day, has turned into every family’s worse nightmare, reports The Mirror.
“Mosquito bites lead to a worsening infection, which caused Emma to collapse and hit her head on the tiled pavement. The fall resulted in a serious head injury and she remains in an induced coma. The medical team have confirmed that her recovery will be long, uncertain, and incredibly challenging,” reports The Mirror.
“We, Emma’s family and friends would ask for your help to support Emma’s partner Stephen who is self employed, and their kids Sophie and Bobby, as they stay by Emma’s side in Tenerife to provide some relief in the day to day expenses so they can focus on the long road of recovery in front of them,” reports The Mirror.
“Anything you can contribute will make a difference. Even sharing the page and keeping Emma in your thoughts will help the family at this time,” reports The Mirror.
The GoFundMe effort raised over €27,500 within its first 24 hours, with strong community support including from Dublin football club Ayrfield United FC, where Emma’s husband Stephen is the First Team coach.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Emma Hickey as she endures a very difficult time after a bad fall in Tenerife on Sunday,” they wrote in a message shared on social media, reports The Mirror.
“Emma is the partner of Stephen Brougham, our First Team Coach. Emma’s friends have set up a Go Fund Me to help with costs for the family during this difficult time. If anyone is in a position to help Emma, Steo, Sophie and Bobby, please donate via the link below. Any help is greatly appreciated.”
To make a contribution, you can find more information on the GoFundMe page here.
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