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Bhí
Pádraig Schäler díreach tar éis a staidéar bunchéime a chríochnú i gColáiste na
Tríonóide nuair a thaisteal sé go Meiriceá don Samhradh.
I
mí Meitheamh, leagadh é óna rothar agus é ag rothaíocht chuig a áit oibre i gCape
Cod.
Tá
sé i gcóma ó shin.
Chaith
Pádraig cúpla sheachtain san oispidéal i gCape Cod agus ansin thóg a chlann é
ar ais go dtí Oispidéal Beaumont i mBaile Átha Cliath.
Tar éis ceithre mí caite
in Oispidéal Beaumont, bhog a chlann é go dtí ionad rehab néareolaíoch i
Hamburg sa Ghearmáin toisc nach bhfuil an Stáit ábalta an cúram ceart a chur ar
fáil dó anseo.
Agus é i mBeaumont, tuigim
go raibh Pádraig ar an liosta i gcomhair ‘The National Rehabilitation Hospital’
(NRH) i nDún Laoghaire.
Dúradh le clann Pádraig
go glacfaidh sé ní mí chun leaba a fháil dó. Tá seo deacar a chreidiúint.
Dúirt na dochtúirí sa
Ghearmáin nach raibh seo oiriúnach ar chor ar bith agus go raibh ‘early
intensive neuro-rehab’ de dhíth. Dúirt
siad go raibh a leithéid ‘grotesque’ agus ‘unethical’
Tá sé tagtha chun cinn nach
bhfuil ach trí leaba ar fáil do dhaoine le riocht Pádraig. Sin scanallach.
Chuir mo chomhghleacaí,
Mary Lou McDonald, ceist ar an Aire Sláinte faoin easpa leapacha atá ar
fáil, agus ar an méid ama a ghlacann sé leaba a fháil.
Sa
fhreagra a bhfuair sí, leirítear nach bhfuil ach 11 comhairleoirí rehab sa
Stáit. 11 comhairleoirí agus trí leapacha i stáit ina bhfuil 5 milliúin
saoránaigh ann! Sin dochreidte agus caithfidh seo athrú.
Tá
daoine le riocht néareolaíoch buartha faoin todhchaí agus tuigim cén fáth.
Tá an córas, mar atá sé,
ina phraiseach agus tá géarghá ann é a fheabhsú.
Ta
fadhb eile ann maidir le costasaí.
Bhí
ar chlann Pádraig na costasaí suntasacha a íoc iad féin.
Tuigim
go raibh costas de €12,000 d’aerárthach othar ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go dtí an
Ghearmáin agus bhí ar chlann Padraig é sin a íoc. Costas ollmhór.
Cé go bhfuil sé mar dhulagas
ag an HSE íoc as cóir leighis nach bhfuil ar fáil in Éirinn, dúradh le
teaghlach Pádraig go raibh seans ann nach dtarlóidh sin agus nach íocfaidh siad
as.
D’ardaigh
mé seo leis an Taoiseach. Chomh maith le sin léirigh mé mo bhuairt i leith
saoraidí neuro sa Chóras Sláinte.
Scríobh
mé litir chuig an Taoiseach ina dhiaidh sin ag iarraidh ar níos mó sonraí a
thabhairt dom i leith cás Phádraig. Táim ag fanacht ar fhreagra.
Ba
chóir go mbeadh Pádraig anseo in Éirinn. Ta dualgas ag an stáit aire a
thabhairt dá saoránaigh.
‘Sé
an rud atá de dhíth ná infheistíocht. Caithfidh don rialtas airgead a
infheistiú i seirbhísí néareolaíoch.
Tá
an airgead ar fáil. Tá sé ann, ach is ceist thosaíochta í.
Tuigim go bhfuil neart
rudaí ar siúl ag cairde Phádraig chun airgid a bhailiú. Chuala mé go bhfuil snámh
eagraithe acu i ngach condae le cósta thar dhá lá. Beidh sin ar siúil an
deireadh seachtaine seo. Fair play dóibh agus d’achan duine atá ag glacadh
páirte.
Má tá sibh ag iarraidh
tuilleadh eolais, tabhair cuairt ar an suíomh www.caringforpadraig.org.
Pádraig Schäler
Pádraig
Schäler, is aged 23. He had just completed his undergraduate degree studies at
Trinity College Dublin when he travelled to America for the summer.
In
June last year, he was knocked off his bike while cycling to work in Cape Cod,
suffering serious injuries. He has been in a coma ever since.
After
a few weeks spent in a hospital in Cape Cod, Pádraig’s parents brought him home
to Ireland and to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where he was immediately placed on a
waiting list for ‘The National Rehabilitation Hospital’ (NRH) in Dún Laoghaire.
Four
months later his family moved him again, this time to a hospital in Hamburg,
Germany. They felt that they had no other option, because this State could not
provide the timely medical intervention needed for Pádraig’s condition.
Instead, they were told that it would be 9 months before treatment at the NRH
would even begin.
When asked for their
opinion on this long delay, German doctors were appalled at such a prospect, stating
that what Pádraig needed was ‘early intensive neuro-rehab’. They
went so far as to say that the proposed delay was ‘grotesque’ and ‘unethical’.
It has emerged that
there are only three beds available in the State for people with Pádraig’s
condition. That is truly scandalous.
My colleague, Mary Lou
McDonald, put a question to the Minister for Health about this lack of
provision and about the length of time it takes to secure a bed. In response, the
Minister’s Department confirmed that there are only 11 rehab consultants in
this State.
11
consultants and 3 beds in a State with 5 million citizens! It is unbelievable
and needs to be changed.
Padraig with his sister Maria
The families of people with neurological conditions are worried about their future and I can understand why. The system as it stands is a mess. It is crucial that it is changed and improved.
There’s
another issue in relation to costs. Pádraig’s family have been left to carry
the financial burden, paying €12,000 for an air ambulance from Dublin to
Germany. A huge ask for any family.
Although the HSE has an
obligation to pay for treatment not available in this State, Pádraig’s family
were informed that there is a good chance that this will not happen in their
case.
I
raised Pádraig’s case with the Taoiseach seeking more information. I also
raised my concerns in relation to the lack of neurological facilities within
the Health Service. I am still waiting for a response.
The
fact is that the State has a responsibility to look after its citizens and
Pádraig, an Irish citizen, should be cared for here in Ireland.
What
is needed is investment. The Government must invest money into neurological
services. The money is there, but it’s a matter of priorities.
I understand that
Pádraig’s friends have been tireless in their fundraising efforts to help ease
the financial burden on his family. As part of such efforts, a sponsored swim
event has been organised in every county with a coastline, to take place over
two days this weekend. Fair play to all involved.
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