My Dad, Brian McEvoy (known as Manzie to most) was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder. He has been in The Mater hospital since the 12th of June 2026. This condition has caused my dad to lose his ability to walk and he is now in a wheelchair full time. He is unable to stand without help, he constantly suffers with tremors and spasms, slurred speech and a number of other issues which are all part of the disorder.

This has been an extremely difficult time for my Dad as he has always been a hardworking independent man. He is kind and would lend a helping hand to anyone. His independence and quality of life has been taken away from him but he has shown great resilience and strength and is fighting hard to keep positive.

The Mater hospital are unable to do much for him and St Mary’s rehabilitation centre deemed him unsuitable for a place. There is no treatment pathway for FND in Ireland and those living with FND here in Ireland have to travel to the UK or further afield to access such FND rehabilitation programs. Even with access to specific multi-disciplinary FND treatment, a full recovery from FND may not be possible and many people need ongoing support to manage their symptoms and optimise their quality of life.

My mother, Mary, gave up her job to be a full time carer for my Dad and travels up and down to Dublin everyday. She never complains and is always by his side.

We are not giving up hope.

All funds raised will go towards purchasing a wheelchair accessible vehicle and also to help towards the financial burden that comes with such a long and challenging recovery. We will try any treatment options we can find to help give my Dad the best quality of life that we can.

Any support, no matter how big or small, would mean the world.