In just four days a crowdfunding page has received over three times its target after a well-known Armagh man was left “fighting for his life” in a Newcastle hospital.
On Saturday, June 22, 59-year-old Sean Óg O’Callaghan suffered multiple heart attacks that led to him being immediately transferred from the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast to a specialist cardiology unit in Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.
Speaking to Armagh I, Sean Óg’s sister-in-law, Marie O’Callaghan, explained: “He was unwell on the Saturday morning, a week ago last Saturday. They rang for the ambulance to come and check him out and they said there was evidence on the ECG that there was damage to the heart so it seemed like he might have had a heart attack during the week and didn’t realise.
“He hadn’t been unwell but you know the way you maybe ignore things, he kind of thought maybe it was heartburn, but certainly by Friday he wasn’t feeling so well because he was finding it very difficult to walk up the hill to his own house, he had to stop and sit.
“So then they said they would need to take him to Craigavon Area Hospital and while he was in the ambulance he took another heart attack and then when he got into resus in Craigavon he took another one. So by the time they got him they said he needed to go to the Royal.
“They transferred him to the Royal and he’s been on life support since.”
Sean Óg’s devoted wife Avis and loving daughter Marie have flown over to be by his side since his transfer.
Marie continued: “They are trying to reduce sedation but are finding it very difficult.
“There’s one side of the heart has completely gone, the other side of the heart they have put like a pacemaker on to keep it going and at the right rhythm. As they are reducing the sedation his heart is going into arrythmia and until they can stabilise him they can’t really make a plan for what they are going to do for him.
“He’s had several procedures done but the Royal Victoria told us when he was there that he was on the most equipment that they have had anyone on.
“His wife has been an absolute credit. She has not left his side and his daughter Marie. She has two very young sons so she has to come home and she’s flying back out again but they have been with him since he went over to Newcastle.
“Avis will not leave his side. She’s been with him the whole way and has been talking to him; she thinks he can hear her when she’s talking to him. He’s squeezing her hand and responding as they are talking. As they are reducing the sedation they are getting some sort of a recognition from him.”
The entire family are confident that he’s in the best place. Marie says that there was criteria for admission to Freeman Hospital and that she and the family are of the opinion that “they wouldn’t have taken him if they felt that they couldn’t do something for him”.
However, with an extended stay in sight and Avis reluctant to leave her beloved husband, the costs are mounting. Marie estimates that Avis has spent somewhere in the region of £1,200 this week alone with travel, accommodation and other expenses.
She says that financial support in Newcastle is only available to those within the Trust area or for those awaiting planned surgery. As Sean Óg’s case was an emergency the family have been unable to avail of support.
Thankfully, Tina Fitzsimons, a friend of Sean Óg, created a GoFundMe page in an attempt to support the family and give them all one less thing to worry about.
Within four days the crowdfunding page has received over £3,700 – over three times the initial target amount of £1,000.
For now, Marie said: “He has a long road ahead of him. We are hopeful and keeping the faith and we’re taking one day at a time. He will get through it.”
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