Canningstown nz fall victim making good progress
Seamus Enright
The family of Canningstown girl Debra Drury say she is making “good progress” since her accident over 10 weeks ago, and say they’ve been “overwhelmed and very thankful” for the outpouring of support shown to them since.
The miraculous turnaround in the young Cavan woman’s condition has given the Drury family hope that they might be able to bring their daughter some time later this year.
Debra (24), daughter of Gordon and Merial Drury and the second youngest of five siblings, was critically injured after she fell from a giant rope swing in New Zealand last November, suffering both head and spinal injuries.
She had been in Wellington for about three months as part of a gap-year trip visiting Australia and New Zealand and remained in an induced coma for a period following the incident.
However, Debra’s sister Janette says she is currently conscious and undergoing rehab therapy for her injuries.
Debra’s mother Merial remains in New Zealand with her daughter while she receives daily treatment from an assigned team of therapists.
“Her balance and strength is gradually coming back allowing her sit up for short periods and take some steps aided and she has started to try some food again. Her ability to communicate is minimal at the moment,” Janette told The Anglo-Celt.
Following the accident, the local community rolled up its sleeves in support of the Drury family, with healing masses held across the county and various social events organised for the Debra Drury Fund to help the family defray the high cost of their daughter’s medical care while in New Zealand.
Providing Debra’s condition can continue to improve as it has of late, Janette said the family are hopeful of the possibility that she may be found medically fit enough to endure the long journey homeward- even as soon as sometime this Spring.
“Her progress has been very good go far, with a doctor saying recently that her recovery has been 'a miracle’.”
Janette has said the Drury family have been “overwhelmed and very thankful” to those who donated to the Debra fund, and to those who organised the fundraising events and the prayer services.
“The family are also so thankful to all in New Zealand - to those who have cared for Debra with such excellence and to the community of friends, Irish and even Cavan connections who have been of great help and support to family in New Zealand,” she said.