A Year of Physical & Speech Therapy, Allan Downes

You can make a difference by donating today to the Downes family via Diaspora Auxilium International.

Early on the morning of Easter Monday 2023 tragedy struck the Downes family, as dearly beloved husband and father Allan, out for his morning exercise, was struck and left critically injured at the side of the road, as the driver fled the scene.

Miraculously, not a bone was broken in Allan’s body, but severe bleeding behind both knees and multiple fractures to his skull and traumatic brain injuries left him in a critical condition in the hospital’s ICU.

He spent the next 4 weeks in the hospital, much of it in a medically-induced coma, to allow the swelling on the brain to reduce.

In spite of no movement on his right side, no speech and a lung infection, Allan has made amazing progress; he has moved from needing a feeding tube for five weeks, to feeding himself, with great coordination using his left hand. He has also started some copy writing. He is now home, but still in need of 24-hour care.

In a recent meeting with the representatives of Diaspora Auxilium (DA), his wife, Marysia, said, “We have not had a breakthrough, as yet, with regaining movement to his right side, nor with speech, but as the doctor says, the days are early yet! He shows great determination, he intends to walk and talk again!”

He was even able to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to his friend and DA Board member, Cecil Jacques….with words on 8th June 2023, Corpus Christi; there was not a dry eye in the house when we witnessed this….

As one can imagine, the financial cost to the family has been significant, as Allan and Marysia are also taking care of their elderly mothers, one with a recent stroke and the other with dementia. Because of this, Allan receives just 3 days/week of physio and speech therapy when he should be getting each daily.

Given the financial need, the extraordinary progress made so far and the prognosis for full recovery, DA has offered to set up a fund raising effort to provide 7 days/week physio and speech therapy for the next 6 months, to maximize the chance of that full recovery. Approximately us$10,000.

Associated Therapy Costs

Physio - us$25/day - $9,100 for a year

Speech - us$25/day - $9,100 for a year

During DA’s two meetings with Marysia, we found a woman at peace and of extraordinarily strong faith. And prayer has been an important factor in Allan’s progress so far. Plus, we noted several coincidences during our brief association with them;

1. The accident happened on Easter Monday, among the most important dates in the Christian calendar which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2. Cecil’s birthday being on the day we visited, allowing Allan to sing Happy Birthday

3. The first installment of the donation was given on Corpus Christi, the liturgical celebration of Christ's death and resurrection.

As Albert Einstein says, “Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous”.

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