A GoFundMe campaign has been launched for a young Wicklow woman who remains in a coma after being hit by a car while out running in Italy.
23-year-old Hannah Leonard was training for the Dublin Marathon in Sicily on 6th October when she was knocked down, suffering “devastating” brain injuries. Hannah, from Bray, County Wicklow, had been due to graduate with a law degree from Dublin City University this week.
Hannah suffered devastating brain injuries after she was thrown approximately 15 feet across the road, landing on her head. The incident happened just several kilometres into her run while she was on a zebra crossing. According to a GoFundMe campaign set up by Hannah’s uncle, she was completing her final long distance training run for the Dublin Marathon when the accident occurred.
The young woman underwent three hours of neurosurgery earlier this month to save her life, with a large piece of her skull being removed in order to access her brain and relieve pressure on the brain. The piece of skull has yet to be replaced. She remains in intensive care following her neurosurgery.
According to an update posted to the campaign, the initial prognosis was not good, however the neurosurgeons caring for Hannah vowed not to give up hope, and they prioritised her survival.
“Since the initial surgery Hannah has undergone several additional surgeries including a tracheotomy and fitting of a catheter to her head to remove excess brain fluid, she is receiving frequent CT scans in order to monitor the swelling on her brain however, she has remained in a coma since the accident,” Ralph wrote in a GoFundMe update.
The family are now beginning to see “some glimmers of hope” – with Hannah now starting to react to touch and making some minor movement.
Whilst what the young woman’s recovery will look like remains unknown, her uncle describes her as a “fighter” who continues to show great resilience.
“Hannah is an amazing young woman and her strength and determination is what has kept her with us. She’s a fighter who is making her family prouder day by day at how resilient she is. She will be utterly devastated when she learns that she missed the Dublin Marathon which she was due to complete 10 years after her Dad completed it, both of them dedicating it to Hannah’s grandmother Caroline.”
Hannah’s dad, Kevin, mother, Vanessa, brother, sister, and boyfriend remain in Sicily with her, visiting her daily in the ICU and “hoping above all hope to see even the tiniest improvements each day.”
One message posted online reads: “This beautiful young lady was due to graduate with a Law Degree at DCU this week with all her college friends including my daughter. Hannah was sadly knocked down while crossing a pedestrian crossing in Sicily on October 6th, resulting in devastating brain injuries.
“Her family are at her side in Sicily as she remains in a coma, but they need help. This amazing young women is a fighter who is making her family prouder day by day at how resilient she is.”
If you can, please support Hannah Leonard & her family through this official GoFundMe page, set up by one of her family members.