A FRIEND of 24-year-old Stuart Mangan, who was left paralysed from the neck down in a rugby accident earlier this year, has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise funds for the full-time care Mr Mangan will require for the rest of his life.
Ivan O'Connor from Cork climbed 6,000m to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in the early hours of last Friday morning, raising thousands of euro for his friend Stuart's care.
Ivan is just one of Stuart's friends who has organised fundraising activities for the coming months. On November 16th a number of Mr Mangan's lifelong friends will walk to the summit of the Sugar Loaf mountain in Co Wicklow in aid of the appeal.
Next Saturday, the Courtyard at Castle, Fermoy, will host a family day with a fashion show and cake sale. A website has also been set up to raise funds for Mr Mangan.
Stuart's life was forever changed on April 5th last when a simple tackle in a club rugby game in London left the Fermoy, Co Cork, native and graduate of Rockwell College and UCC, with a devastating spinal injury.
In global terms, his injury is the most catastrophic rugby injury seen in recent years. Categorised as C1 Complete, he is completely paralysed from the neck down and unable to breathe without a ventilator.
Physically, Stuart is now dependent for his every basic need, in sharp contrast to how he lived his life before the accident. A talented sportsman with an exciting career ahead in banking, Stuart loved to travel and speaks five languages. In coming to terms with his horrific injury, Stuart has managed to show incredible courage. Friends say is determined to deal positively with his drastically-altered circumstances.
Spokeswoman for the fundraising campaign Niamh Sheeran says she is hoping to raise thousands of euro for Stuart's care.
"We are asking people to consider their own fundraising. If they can help us out in any way they should let us know." Stuart is currently receiving world-class medical attention in the Spinal Injury Unit of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore, in North London. Shortly before his accident, Stuart completed five years of university studies, graduating with a Law degree from UCC and a Masters in European Business from ESC Paris, before he was hired on a fixed-term contract on the trading floor of BNP Paribas in London.
On arriving in London, Stuart joined Hammersmith Fulham rugby club where his brother Barry also played. On the day of the accident Stuart's third vertebrae went over his fourth and he immediately lost all movement and breathing. A team-mate kept him alive with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until the arrival of the paramedics. He was taken immediately to intensive care at Charing Cross Hospital, London, where he stayed for some days in a near coma-like state.
Those interested in adding to the fundraising can send cheques to the Stuart Mangan Trust, 23 Avoca Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin or donations can be made through AIB Bank, Pearse Square, Fermoy, Co Cork. Account No - 17569101 and Sort Code 93-60-81. Interested parties can also donate online at www.stuartmangan.org