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<div>Recently, my world was turned upside down when my dad, Tommy Heffernan, affectionately known as 'Tucker' to his family, friends &amp; wider community in Ireland; suffered a major stroke on the left side of his brain, caused by a large blood clot .
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<div>As many of you know, Dad is a former, much loved professional footballer, a fiercely independent, proud, and strong man who built his life on resilience, physical strength, and a savage right kick! Hailing from Sally Noggin, Dunloaghaire on Dublins south side, he is regarded as one of footballs OG's &amp; hardest men! His career at Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, Sheffield United &amp; English &amp; Irish local division teams, has earned him a network of lifelong friends, on and off the pitch.
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<div>Watching this stroke temporarily take away his speech and movement on his right side has been heartbreaking. Yet, despite the shock to his body, his fighting spirit that we all know and love , is completely intact, and his personality breaking through, despite the trauma he has suffered.
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<div>Because the stroke affected the primary language and motor centers in his brain, the road to regaining his independence will require intensive, ongoing physical, speech, and occupational therapy. While he is receiving care at St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, I am launching this campaign to build a dedicated recovery fund for him to ensure he gets the best care available in Ireland.
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<div>He is still in the acute phase at St. Vincent's, and getting this fundraiser set up now ensures his ongoing recovery can be backed by Irelands top private specialists.
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<div>My target is €25,000 (around £20-22k) to ensure that when he is cleared to transition into the next stage of recovery, we can access only the best available.
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<div><strong>All funds raised will go directly toward:</strong>
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<li>Inpatient Private Neuro-Rehab &amp; Step-Down Care: Securing dedicated rehabilitation placement in a specialized Irish private care facility .
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<li>1-on-1 Specialist Therapies: Funding daily private sessions with senior Irish physiotherapists, Speech &amp; Language Therapists (SLT)
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<li>Advanced Neuro-Technologies &amp; Irish Rehab Clinic: Utilizing a specialized Irish clinic for Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) to re-fire inactive muscle groups on his right side.
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<div>Dad spent his career fighting on the pitch, and now he is fighting the most important match of his life. I am determined to give him every medical resource possible to aid his recovery.
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<div>Any contribution, sharing of this page, or any message of support means the world to Dad and our entire family. Thank you for standing by the big man.
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<div>Help me get the legend back to his best
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<div>Zoë Heffernan
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Emmy HH

Rory Devitt

Anonymous

Kevin Langdown

Morgan Lewis

Zakia Fulton

Mark Howie

Mark Breen

Gerard McConnell

Stephanie Hopkins

AYISHA ONUORAH

DAVID GODDEN

Agustin Sosa-Hernandez

Mark O’Connor

Russ Digby

Richard Cooke

Dean Mooney

Tommy Fighting Back:Funding Specialized Neuro-Rehabilitation

Tommy Fighting Back:Funding Specialized Neuro-Rehabilitation

Still £4,209 to go. Help us build momentum.