Good news at last for Sammy Brill

There is good news at last for Sammy Brill as the Athlone woman who has spent over a year in hospital unneccessarily is going home next month. Sammy, who has had a neurological condition since birth, has been in Portiuncula Hospital for over 18 months and according to her doctor John Barton she has been a patient unnecessarily for more than a year of that. She finally got some good news last week when Health Minister Mary Harney granted funding to allow Sammy to be cared for at home, rather than in hospital. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent last Thursday after she received the news a jubilant Sammy said: "I met Mary Harney's secretary today, I'm going home. I'm in shock, I was crying." Sammy said while she is somewhat nervous about going home after spending so long in hospital she is looking forward to getting to spend time with her family. "I'm going to be able to see my family and watch my niece grow up," she said. "My life will be very different to what it was before but I'm going to be able to make choices," Sammy added. She said she is extremely grateful to Minister Harney, who helped her, but said she didn't believe it would have happened if she hadn't met the Minister when she came to Portiuncula in February to open two new units. "It definitely wouldn't have happened. I made my case to the Minister, she was very nice and she took my story on board," she said. Sammy, who serves as secretary on the board of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland (MDI) thanked the organisation for its support, as well as her family and friends. Dr John Barton, who has supported Sammy in her campaign to be cared for at home and who met the Minister along with Sammy in February, was delighted when he heard the news. "This is wonderful news for Sammy. We're delighted," he said. "I intend to write to the Minister and thank her." However, Dr Barton also agreed that if Sammy hadn't met the Minister she may not have received such good news. "The fact that Sammy made a plea to her helped. It shouldn't be this way. It shouldn't take a chance meeting with the Minister for Health to get her home. If she hadn't met the Minister she wouldn't be going home," he said. The HSE will now invite tenders from homecare companies who can look after Sammy in her own home. Once the company is selected the staff will trained to deal specifically with Sammy's needs. Sammy is hopeful she can finally leave the hospital after 20 months on May 4.