Westmeath man David Digan says he has been selected for “groundbreaking” trial treatment in Europe after losing his arm in a motorcycle accident six years ago.
The father of one, who previously spoke to Gript about his struggles to be awarded a Primary Medical Certificate, says he hopes that if the trial treatment goes well, he will be able to regain some of his independence.
“I’ve been selected for a groundbreaking trial in Vienna, Austria, where surgeons plan to perform an osseointegration surgery on my forearm to secure a prosthetic by bone anchoring it.” he said.
David says that since his accident he has faced “numerous challenges” including the loss of his career as a commercial diver and that he has also been left “struggling to rebuild” to rebuild his personal relationships, as well as “navigating life with a significant disability”.
Despite what he called “countless setbacks”, David says he’s “never stopped hoping for a better future”.
He says that since his accident he’s undergone “multiple surgeries|, including nerve transfers, a muscle transfer from his leg to his forearm, and eventually, arm amputation and bone reconstruction (derotational osteotomy) to prepare for a myoelectric prosthetic.
“Sadly, many of these efforts haven’t worked as planned,” he said, adding,“But now, there is hope.”
After the planned osseointegration surgery, David says that the “next step” will be to connect a robotic prosthetic to the remaining nerves and muscles in his arm/shoulder, which he called “a pioneering attempt to restore function where none seemed possible.”
He says that although the surgery itself is funded as part of the trial, he needs help to cover the travel and accommodation costs required for the treatments.
David says that any funds raised will allow him to stay in Vienna for consultations, surgeries and recovery sessions lead by Prof. Dr. Oskar Aszmann, Director of the CD Laboratory for Restoration of Extremity Function.
Last April, David was one of a group of amputees who met with government representatives at Leinster House to discuss issues relating to the allocation of primary medical certificates which offer financial relief for persons living with disabilities.
The primary medical certificate scheme provides relief from vehicle registration tax and VAT and is only open to severely and permanently disabled persons as a driver or passenger. To qualify for the relief the applicant must hold a PMC issued by the local HSE board or following an appeal with the Disabled Drivers Board.
Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar promised to investigate the issue after it was raised by Independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan, however David has told Gript that he has still not received a PMC.