Galway woman feels 'trapped in her own home' after diagnosis as 'world turned upside down'
Her life will never be the same again
A Galway nurse’s world has been “turned upside down” after she received a diagnosis that would change her life.
73-year-old Helen, a retired nurse and grandmother, was enjoying her extremely active and independent life of retirement when she was hit with the news that she had developed Motor Neurone Disease.
Her life of driving, walking her dogs and visiting her grandchildren were all instantly stopped leaving her entirely wheelchair-dependent and living alone in a house she cannot leave without help.
Helen says: “I feel trapped in my own home”
She has started a GoFundMe in the hope of raising vital funds for accessible home ramps and private carers so she can regain some sort of normality back into the life she misses so much.
The Galway woman said: “Up until eight months ago, I lived an independent life driving to scenic spots, walking in nature and bringing my beloved dog for swims and visiting my grandchildren.
“Gradually, my mobility deteriorated as I began to find it harder to walk until I couldn’t walk at all.
“Things changed dramatically on June 2025 when I was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.”
Helen says the progressive condition reminders her daily that she “has to live with the uncertainty of this”.
“I have to organise carers for seven days. I now live and sleep downstairs and am totally dependent on my wheelchair and equipment. This has been an unbelievably difficult situation as I live alone. My children do visit but can only support so much.
“Furthermore, my house is totally inaccessible for a wheelchair so I cannot get out causing me to feel trapped in the house.”
Helen says her and her family have already spent €2500 on temporary ramps to get them by but that a permanent solution is needed and quickly.
”The financial strain has been tremendous using all my savings for medical appointments, transport, carers and for an accessible ramp at the back door so I can at least wheel out to enjoy garden.”
The GoFundMe has a cost breakdown of what the money Helen receives will be going towards.
This includes: €2500 modular ramp at back; €1000 temporary ramps at front and back; €7,000 for a ramp at the front; €120 a week for private carer; €200 monthly for private transport and €1500 for respite break if possible with carer.