Our friend Matt experienced a life-changing spinal cord injury in July 2021 while in Mexico. During a boat tour off the coast of Cancun, he dived into shallow water, hitting a sandbank and fracturing his C5 vertebrae. Thankfully, after an emergency corpectomy spinal surgery in Mexico, his spinal cord remained intact, giving hope for recovery. Currently, Matt has limited function in his arms, triceps, hands, and lower body, but his determination remains unshaken.

Matt is known for his adventurous spirit, kind heart, and infectious energy. He’s the life of any party and someone who genuinely spreads joy to everyone he meets. Before his accident, Matt had traveled to Mexico to volunteer with a coral reef restoration project, planning to complete his trip with a yoga instructor course.

After his surgery, Matt was repatriated to Ireland, where he received exceptional care from the ICU and spinal units at the Mater Hospital, followed by intensive rehabilitation at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH). With the support of this incredible community, Matt also completed eight weeks of concentrated physiotherapy at TRAINM in Antwerp, Belgium, where he made significant progress.

Despite the challenges, Matt continues to aim high, with the ultimate goal of walking and dancing again. To support this journey, we’ve extended our initial fundraising target of €250,000 to ensure he has access to the best treatments and opportunities available worldwide. His positivity and resilience inspire everyone around him.

Last year Matt visited Neuroworx, a specialist facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, led by experts in spinal cord injury recovery. Their innovative use of electrical stimulation and other therapies has given us hope for accelerating Matt’s progress. Looking ahead, we are exploring groundbreaking treatments, such as those being developed by ONWARD, which involve advanced electrical stimulation and could be transformative.

Your generosity through past fundraisers—such as Strictly Come Dancing, Golf Classics, and GoFundMe—has been instrumental in getting Matt this far. All proceeds have been placed in a dedicated fund, ready to be used when the right opportunity arises.

We are so grateful for the incredible support and kindness shown by this community. Every donation, no matter the size, helps bring us closer to Matt’s dream of recovery. Thank you for standing with Matt and for being a vital part of his journey.

Help Matt Achieve His Goal Of Walking Again

Help Matt Achieve His Goal Of Walking Again

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