Raising funds for paralysed rugby player
A crowdfunding campaign to help a North Tawton rugby player left paralysed after falling from a roof is already raising thousands of pounds towards his rehabilitation.
Craig and Chloe Dennis’ lives have been dramatically altered by the accident.
Craig, 25, fell from a roof while helping on his parents’ farm during the summer, sustaining multiple injuries including a severe bleed to the brain, multiple fractures to his skull, major spinal damage as well as other injuries and complications.
He was rushed to Derriford Hospital where he twice had emergency surgery. For over three weeks following the accident, Craig remained in intensive care, recovery thwarted repeatedly by infection and secondary complications.
Chloe said: ‘We’ve been on an emotional roller coaster - every time we dared to think we had passed the worst, we were hit by another crisis.’
Once Craig’s brain injury became stable the spinal team undertook a nine hour operation to stabilise him. Despite the surgery going to plan, Craig’s injuries are such that sadly he remains paralysed.
The level of rehabilitation and recovery Craig requires is complex due to the severity and combination of his injuries.
Chloe said: ‘His rehabilitation is going to be unimaginably tough and it is not a journey I can bear for him to go through alone. Juggling the business I have worked so hard to build up, alongside the need to be with Craig, is going to be difficult, but given the physical and mental challenges he is facing, it is incredibly important to us both to be together through this.’
Chloe, a dance teacher in Okehampton who runs her own business, In Bloom Beauty, has begun a fundraising campaign to help cover some of the anticipated expenses and ensure she can support Craig during his rehabilitation. Less than 24 hours after Chloe launched the crowd funder page, an amazing £15,000 of the £75,000 target was raised.
A fundraising sponsored walk to all the clubs North Tawton RFC are playing this year started at Penzance on September 2nd, finishing at North Tawton on September 11th, a total of 253 miles.
Chloe is incredibly grateful for the love, care and well wishes extended to her and Craig and realises a massive sum needs to be raised to make the adaptions required their house in South Tawton, so Craig can become as independent as possible.
She is planning a major fundraiser in November - keep a look out in the next edition of Oke Links for full details. In the mean time, you can donate through the Go Fund Me platform by searching ‘Craig’s Journey’, or by clicking here.