Three-month respite turns into four year long-term care for Sligo resident



A Mayo woman living in Sligo is continuing her campaign to ensure there are more supports to help people with a disability live independently.

Geraldine Lavelle is 31 years old and sustained a spinal cord injury which has left her paralysed from above the chest down after a cycling accident nearly 5 years ago in Longford.

At the time she was living and working in the Midlands town but after her rehabilitation in Dublin she had to move to Sligo to the Cheshire home as part of her transition to being able to live independently at home again.

The move was supposed to be short-term but over four years later, she’s still waiting to be able to avail of a house and a homecare package that will allow her to live independently.

She has finally secured a meeting with the HSE and the Minister for Disabilities Finian McGrath is now fully investigating her case.

Geraldine has told Ocean FM News today that it’s a constant struggle to try and get support through the health system but she is determined to live independently and help others in a similar situation.

She’s been speaking to Claire Mulcahy:



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