Battling to bring Hannah home!
WHILE brave Hannah Donnelly continues her fight to come back to her home in Drogheda, a war of another kind took place on her behalf in the TLT!
Friends and supporters of the Warrior Princess took to the stage in a Lip Sync Battle, which pushed the money raised to date to an incredible €38,000.
Organiser Jade Connor, Hannah’s childhood friend, said she was blown away by the generosity of those who took part and came along to cheer on the efforts.
“We just couldn’t believe how many people turned up, and we are absolutely delighted by the phenomenal amount of money raised to date,” said Jade, who had known Hannah most of her life.
“At first, we were panicking a bit that ticket sales were slow, and then a few days before the event, boom, they all flew out the door!”
Four groups took part in the battle, under the headings Heroes and Villains, Here Come the Girls, The Party Animals and High School Musical.
The five judges Dawn Finnegan, Jenny Fagan, Mary Simpson, David Newman and Jake Carter certainly had their work cut out for them, and MC Clive Fitzpatrick kept the full house amused in between acts.
“It was so hard to pick one winner, so in the end “Heroes and Villains” won the overall prize, while “Here Come the Girls” won most entertaining, “The Party Animals” won the audience vote and “High School Musical” were voted best dancers,” says Jade, who also took part in the event.
“It was all a bit of fun though, and we were all like one big family, all wanting to raise as much money as possible for Hannah.”
Over the last 17 years, Hannah’s health has been extremely inconsistent, and she has had more than 40 operations and skin grafts.
The teenager went in to hospital for spinal surgery in March 2017 walking and talking but unfortunately complications arose, and she ended up with an emergency tracheotomy and became paralysed from critical illness myophady and critical illness polyneuropathy.
Jade says Hannah is now doing well and is still strong and fighting.
“She is communicating a bit better, blinking and nodding, and you can still see her personality shining through.
“All the money raised will go towards renovations to their house in Newfield, and adapting it for her return, as well as pay for full time care.”
A big thanks goes to the organisinig committee for the latest event - Nichola Bedford, Samantha Regan, Keith O’Brien, Olivia Mulvaney, Peter Trinder and Jade Connor - and watch this space for more.