Gary’s story of life with an acquired brain injury highlighted on new LED screen at The Showgrounds
THE new LED screen at The Showgrounds was used at the recent match between Sligo Rovers and Galway United match to promote local causes and business before the match.
One such cause that was promoted on the screen was the work being carried out by the Acquired Brain Injury Ireland group, featuring a picture of long-time Bit O'Red supporter and Enniscrone native, Gary Egan.
A 2019 car accident left Gary with a traumatic brain injury. In the immediate aftermath of the accident, Gary felt OK. However, his family noticed small changes in him like stuttering, memory problems, fatigue and generally not being the lively character he was always known as. Simple tasks became insurmountable challenges, and the once vibrant young man found himself grappling with a reality he never imagined. After numerous consultations with medical professionals, twelve months on from the crash he was diagnosed with a brain injury and was immediately admitted for residential care with Acquired Brain Injury Sligo.
Each day has brought new hurdles, but he refused to let despair consume him. Through intensive rehabilitation and sheer perseverance, support from key workers, Support groups facilitated by Acquired Brain Injury Sligo, Gary continues to try and reclaim fragments of his former self where he can.
The road to recovery has been fraught with setbacks and frustrations as he adapts to the new normal of living with a brain injury. Chronic fatigue, not being as active as he once was, irritability, brain fog, being unable to work, having to have an hour by hour daily planned schedule, pre planning all elements of his days and weeks.
Many of these challenges are unseen by others but are very real to Gary, challenges that he works together with Acquired Brain Injury Sligo to resolve. Gary is adamant that the help and support he has received and continues to receive from the Acquired Brain Injury team in Sligo saved his life.
Gary's story and the work of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland will continue to be highlighted for the next eight home games at The Showgrounds.
THE annual Sligo Engineering and Technology Expo will take place today, Thursday, at the Knocknarea Arena, in Atlantic Technological University’s (ATU) Sligo. Running from 10am to 5pm the Expo offers anyone considering studying the exciting subjects of engineering or computing students with the unique opportunity to interact with leaders in both fields from cutting edge companies across Ireland.
The 2024 Expo is proudly sponsored by Abbott, the global healthcare leader.
Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with leading companies such as Abbott, Hollister, MCi Ireland Ltd, Glan Agua, AbbVie, Valeo Vision Systems LTD and MCi Motion Controls.
These companies and many others will be