BLAST GIRLS LEARN TO WALK AGAIN
Blast girls learn to walk again
Brave amputees leave hospital 10 weeks after Omagh
By GORDON ADAIR
TWO young victims of the Omagh bomb courageously walked out of Belfast's Musgrave Park hospital yesterday, 10 weeks after the horror blast in which they each lost a leg.
Side-by-side Michelle Mimnagh and Suzanne Kelly, who have been fitted with artificial limbs, walked out to face the waiting media and a challenging future.
Hospital staff paid tribute to the young women's positive outlook and determination to succeed, qualities both have demonstrated in abundance over the past weeks of physiotherapy.
Seventeen-year-old Michelle said she was looking forward to rejoining her family in Drumquin and was delighted at how speedy her recovery has been. "It's great. I never thought I would be out this soon. I thought it would take longer so I am really pleased with myself to have done so well.
"I'm just concentrating on going home. I will just try to start leading a normal life again and doing all the things I used to do as soon as possible."
Suzanne, 20, who now plans to return to her primary school teacher training course in Liverpool, was equally determined to get her life back to normal.
"For two months I have just been sitting. I haven't been able to get up and walk about so last week was great when I eventually got up and walked for the first time.
"It was brilliant to have that feeling back again, especially when it had been taken away from me for so long."
She admitted, though, that it has been a difficult journey to recovery. "It is exhausting because although it's great in one sense to be up and walking, it is very sore. When I'm walking I'm in a bit of pain, but I am constantly trying to push myself to do a wee bit more every day."
The girls are among five amputees being treated at Musgrave Park for injuries sustained in the August 15 blast and they will nave to return for further treatment in the future.
Asked about the people who planted the bomb, Suzanne said: "At the end of the day they haven't really achieved anything. There are people out there who lost their lives that just didn't need to."
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam will join 700 kids for an afternoon of fun and games at Omagh today.
She will be the guest of NICE (Northern Ireland Children's Events), a charitable organisation promoting cross-community contact, which has organised a day's activities at Omagh Football Ground for children from the town who missed out on an earlier NICE trip to Portrush because of the bomb tragedy. Children from Buncrana and Ballybay will also be taking part in today's event.
Brave amputees leave hospital 10 weeks after Omagh
By GORDON ADAIR
TWO young victims of the Omagh bomb courageously walked out of Belfast's Musgrave Park hospital yesterday, 10 weeks after the horror blast in which they each lost a leg.
Side-by-side Michelle Mimnagh and Suzanne Kelly, who have been fitted with artificial limbs, walked out to face the waiting media and a challenging future.
Hospital staff paid tribute to the young women's positive outlook and determination to succeed, qualities both have demonstrated in abundance over the past weeks of physiotherapy.
Seventeen-year-old Michelle said she was looking forward to rejoining her family in Drumquin and was delighted at how speedy her recovery has been. "It's great. I never thought I would be out this soon. I thought it would take longer so I am really pleased with myself to have done so well.
"I'm just concentrating on going home. I will just try to start leading a normal life again and doing all the things I used to do as soon as possible."
Suzanne, 20, who now plans to return to her primary school teacher training course in Liverpool, was equally determined to get her life back to normal.
"For two months I have just been sitting. I haven't been able to get up and walk about so last week was great when I eventually got up and walked for the first time.
"It was brilliant to have that feeling back again, especially when it had been taken away from me for so long."
She admitted, though, that it has been a difficult journey to recovery. "It is exhausting because although it's great in one sense to be up and walking, it is very sore. When I'm walking I'm in a bit of pain, but I am constantly trying to push myself to do a wee bit more every day."
The girls are among five amputees being treated at Musgrave Park for injuries sustained in the August 15 blast and they will nave to return for further treatment in the future.
Asked about the people who planted the bomb, Suzanne said: "At the end of the day they haven't really achieved anything. There are people out there who lost their lives that just didn't need to."
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam will join 700 kids for an afternoon of fun and games at Omagh today.
She will be the guest of NICE (Northern Ireland Children's Events), a charitable organisation promoting cross-community contact, which has organised a day's activities at Omagh Football Ground for children from the town who missed out on an earlier NICE trip to Portrush because of the bomb tragedy. Children from Buncrana and Ballybay will also be taking part in today's event.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/350
Published Date: 24-Oct-98
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