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Fundraisers rally to get Blackpool student home
THE huge fundraising drive to help fly home a desperately ill young Blackpool sports student is gathering pace.
Medics fear Dominic Chadwick, 22, could be paralysed after he broke his neck in a freak accident while on holiday in Phuket, Thailand.
Problems with his travel insurance mean his insurers will only provide up to 3,000 for medical bills, which are currently expected to reach between 15,000 and 20,000.
But a host of people are now clubbing together to raise the money needed to fly Dominic, from North Shore, back to Blackpool with two nights of entertainment already planned and a staggering 1,500 raised by one cafe alone.
Customers at the Art Deco Cafe in Stanley Park, where Dominic's brother James' girlfriend Natalie Lidstone works, have generated the huge donation.
And star Blackpool comedian Joey Blower has agreed to put together a fundraising show at his Merrie England bar on North Pier in a bid to boost the coffers further.
Dominic's mother Jane and his two older brothers James and Andrew have flown out to Thailand be at his bedside.
Speaking from the hospital, James, 25, thanked people for their generosity and said Dominic, who crushed vertebrae at the base of his neck and the top of his spinal column, was showing signs of improvement.
"At the moment he is progressing well and he has started to perk up a bit," he said.
"The first four nights he was really worried but he has started to relax and he is doing well with his physio.
"His arms and hands are getting stronger and the doctors said he could possibly fly home in seven days although the physio seems to think it could take a bit longer and it could be two weeks.
"From the middle of his chest down there is still no movement but the doctors are optimistic because his muscles have been twitching.
"We still have no idea if he will fully recover though."
James also thanked the parents of Dominic's girlfriend, Alex, who was travelling with him in Thailand, for their support.
The situation the former St Mary's Catholic College pupil is in echoes that of Poulton man Ryan Neale, who was left in a coma following a moped accident this summer. He had no travel insurance and people across the coast put on a host of fundraising events to get him home.
He is now in a vegetative state at Royal Preston Hospital and his family are fighting to cover crippling medical costs of 30,000.
Joey Blower, said he was delighted to be able to put on the show to help Dominic, a regular visitor to his bar.
"Dominic comes in to see the show all the time and he's a popular lad," the star comedian said. “I’d like to think we can help out and we’ll put on the best show we can for him.
“Hopefully the people of Blackpool will really club together to help out because it’s a tragedy what has happened to this young man.”
Among the stars set to appear at the event on September 4, are Joey himself, DJ Lionel Vinyl and a Robbie Williams tribute act.
Staff at the Litten Tree pub, on Queen Street where Dominic works, have been donating tips to the fund and are also set to hold a fundraising event.
Blackpool Football Club have also allowed Dominic’s family to carry out a collection outside the ground and in the directors’ box at their home fixture against Barnsley on September 13.
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: North west
