Izzy Sallis, from Maragh, Co Galway, was admitted to hospital last September for scheduled scoliosis surgery at the age of 11. The purpose of this surgery was to provide her with a neck stabilizing device to improve her comfort and quality of life.

However, Izzy suffered a heartbreak during the surgery as she sustained fatal brain stem and spinal cord injuries, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down and unable to breathe.

Izzy has been on a ventilator ever since, said her mother, Deborah Lyons.

Appearing on Galway Bay FM earlier this week, Deborah said that although Izzy has Hurler syndrome, she had always been healthy in her younger years and was largely unaffected.

“Honestly, we thought she was just blessed, so this thing that happened to her is really heartbreaking and words can’t express the pain that I feel for her right now. I just desperately want to give her a chance to recover,” she added.

A GoFundMe for Izzy was set up by her family earlier this week and has raised over €40,000 at the time of writing.

“Izzy is awake, fully aware and understandably terrified of what happened to her,” Deborah wrote on GoFundMe.

“She has remained in the ICU ever since. In that moment, our lives changed forever. As a family, we are facing a future we never imagined, and Izzy’s life ahead will be incredibly difficult.”

“Izzy’s life ahead will be incredibly difficult for her and her family. It is anticipated that Izzy will require 24/7 care and support for the rest of her life, including specialist medical equipment, mobility support, transportation adaptations and home modifications to meet her needs now and in the future.”

In addition to basic care and support, Deborah said the family may need to consider additional medical options and treatments in the future, depending on Izzy’s condition and medical advice.

“We are raising funds to support Izzy and her family with the extraordinary costs of long-term care, accessibility adaptations and ongoing support. Any donation, no matter how small, makes a huge difference. If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser,” she added.

Anyone who wants to To donate, please go to ‘Izzy’s Fight: Funding Critical Care After Spinal Cord Injury’ on GoFundMe.ie or click here..