Derry woman thanks 'fantastic' charities with fundraiser

Hilary Duddy from the Waterside area of the city has had a very busy week and she is delighted.

First she was in Lisburn presenting a cheque for £2,769.75 to Air Ambulance NI, then it was home to present a cheque for a similar amount to Headway (Foyle). 

Speaking to Derry Now, Hilary revealed why the two charities were so close to her heart. 

Hilary presenting a cheque for £2769.75 to Headway's Sam Duncan, Senior AIB Service Co-ordinator, Western and Northern Region.

“I had an accident on my motorbike on September 28,  2019. I was going to Belfast to do the Gentleman’s Run, which is a charitable run held every year to raise funds for men’s mental health. 

“There was an accident on the Glenshane and I was knocked unconscious. I had to be airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast with a bleed to the brain.

“I’m not saying that was a minor thing but it was a miracle I didn’t have any other injuries because I had come off the motorbike and landed on the road. 

“When I was discharged from the Royal, I went to Spruce House at Altnagelvin for treatment for my brain injury.

“It was there someone mentioned the Headway group to me and I haven’t looked back since I joined.”
Hilary explained that Headway is a weekly meeting place for people who have experience of living with the effects of acquired injury or of working with people with a brain injury. 

Hilary presenting a fundraising cheque to Dr Darran Monaghan, Clinical Lead for HEMS & Richard Steele the pilot of the air ambulance which transferred her to the Royal Vistoria Hospital.

“I started attending Headway and I found it was a great help to me,” she said, “Sam and the Team.”
Sam is Sam Duncan, who is the Senior Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Co-ordinator in the Western and Northern Region.

Hilary added: “At Headway we chat and do crafts and different wee activities to help us memory wise and to get the brain working again after a brain injury. 

“We meet in the Foyle Foyle Arena every Thursday morning from 10.30am to 12.30pm and we might do a craft or have a quiz. We also go to the bowling alley once a month for a game of bowls.

“Essentially Headway is all about rebuilding life again, in terms of regaining memory and different things after a brain injury, to try and get everybody back to maybe what they were prior to having that kind of injury.

“I found going to Headway brilliant, so, I decided when I was getting back on track with life again, I would hold a fundraising charity rock night for Headway and Air Ambulance NI.”

Hilary’s event took place in Brigade Cricket Club and raised a fabulous £5,539.50 which was split between both charities. Air Ambulance NI also received an additional £311.00 Gift Aid through the JustGiving page.

Hilary said: “I went around a few shops and businesses and got raffle prizes and different wee things. 

“We had a great turnout on the night.  I wasn’t even sure about holding the charity event because I had never done anything like that before. At the start I was thinking, if I could raise maybe £1,000 sure it would be £1,000 they wouldn’t have had. So I did it. 

I am back working in the community doing caring. I am back driving and I am back doing my job to the best of my ability. 

“I have come on amazingly well. It has been a journey to be sure to get myself back to work but I feel after four years with the help I have got, I am near enough back to where I was. It is all good and that is what spurred me on to raise a few pounds for these two brilliant charities.”

Hilary said Headway was a fantastic group.

“There are only 20 people but just having a chat and being able to talk about my health to people who have had similar experiences is very good.

“I was up in Lisburn earlier this week presenting the cheque to Dr Darren Monaghan (Clinical Lead for Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) of  Air Ambulance NI.

“I also met Richard Steele, the pilot who airlifted me to the Royal, not that I knew him but he remembered the accident and picking me up.”