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Bespoke bungalow for people with
brain injury
01.12.14
A BRAIN injury support
group founded in Donegal has unveiled details of a
bespoke six-bed bungalow being built in Letterkenny.
The new building will provide the accommodation
needs of four men living with an acquired brain
injury in Letterkenny.
The men are in need of a neuro-rehabilitation
assisted living service to allow them to live a
fulfilling life in the community. |
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Acquired Brain Injury Ireland
co-founder Barbara O'Connell pictured with Minister
of State, Joe McHugh at the site of the new bespoke
bungalow in Letterkenny. |
Brain injury support
group Acquired Brain Injury Ireland (ABI Ireland)
are spearheading the project in association with
Donegal County Council, Anvers Housing Association
and the HSE.
ABI Ireland was established fourteen years ago by
the family of Donegal man, Peter Bradley, who
suffered a brain injury following a road traffic
accident.
A further stroke left Peter residing in a nursing
home at the young age of 42, without neuro-rehabilitation.
Peter’s family refused to let this continue and
since then ABI Ireland has allowed him and many
others to live a normal life in the community. They
now have brain injury specific rehabilitation
services all over the country.
Peter's sister Barbara O’Connell who is also ABI
Ireland's co founder and chief executive said: “To
have an ABI Ireland Assisted Living Residential
service in Donegal is very important for our
organisation, to our partners and my family. For me
Donegal will always be home even though my family
moved to Dublin after Peter’s accident in the search
of specialist services." Ms O'Connell said the new
building, when ready, would "empower and support"
the four new tenants. About 13,000 people acquire a
brain injury in Ireland each year, facing a
drastically changed life to the one they once knew.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Joe McHugh added:
“There is a tremendous amount of valuable work being
carried out by ABI and I was delighted to be invited
by the group to witness firsthand their commitment
to these vital services in Donegal. It is imperative
that ABI receive our support in whatever way we can
to help them deliver on their development of
services.” |
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