By Lisa Ramsden
Friday the 21st of October 2022 was a day that changed Laura McEvoy’s life, and in more ways than most of us could even begin to imagine. She was driving home from Queen’s University, where she was in her final year of studies to become a midwife, when she was involved in a near-fatal crash outside Drumaness.
Her car was involved in a collision with a lorry, and once cut from the wreckage, she was rushed into emergency surgery on her spine. It was confirmed she had an incomplete spinal cord injury, meaning it was damaged but not completely severed, allowing some nerve signals to still pass through. Her back was put together again through a combination of highly skilled surgeons, the theatre team, and titanium implants.
As if this injury was not enough to contend with, Laura was also left with a fractured neck, broken vertebrae, and a cracked skull. In the blink of an eye, her future looked very uncertain. She was told she might never walk again, and her parents, Damien and Jackie, were left trying to prepare themselves for a number of scenarios.
Laura refused to accept defeat. Five-and-a-half months after the crash, and whilst still an inpatient, doctors still couldn’t guarantee whether she would walk again. However, through sheer determination and the unwavering support of her family and friends, she defied the odds – rebuilding her life, literally step by step, facing life’s toughest challenges with remarkable resilience and passion.
The physical toll was enormous, but even more challenging was the mental shift. Before the accident, Laura was a competitive Irish dancer, enjoyed running in the outdoors, and was a regular at the gym. Learning to walk again with crutches and devices known as AFOs, which are effectively foot and ankle splints, Laura was her own taskmaster.
Sending out a powerful message, “be gentle and kind to yourself,” she says one of the most important things she tells people now is to “take it one day at a time.” Having initially been admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, she was transferred to the Musgrave Park Hospital for her intensive rehabilitation.
“Incomplete spinal cord injuries are complex because no one can say what the potential recovery is. All I could do was keep pushing, making the most out of the rehab facilities and trusting the process.”
Read the full story in the current issue of the Mourne Observer as Laura explains how she has pursued an incredibly active life that includes rock climbing and basketball, and she hopes to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
