Fundraiser for Cian Milligan closes in on target
Young Manchester United fan Cian Milligan sustained life-changing injuries in a 2020 car crash but, after months of fundraising efforts from family and friends, the Northern Irishman could soon return home.
Cian’s family home requires a total renovation to accommodate his complex needs, and the Milligan family are just £10,000 short of their £125,000 crowd-funding target.
In October 2020, then 14-year-old Cian was on his way to school when the car he was travelling in collided with a bus on Downpatrick Road outside Clough. Everyone involved survived, but Cian suffered devastating injuries, including a fractured skull, laceration of the spleen and a shattered pelvis. While in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, doctors advised that his injuries could be fatal.
After 14 months in various hospitals and rehabilitation centres, Cian returned ‘home’ to Castlewellan, Northern Ireland. Returning to the proper family home will still take some time, however, given the changes needed to accommodate his wheelchair, among other care needs.
Cian was a talented sportsman, as a footballer and a Gaelic footballer. He loves the outdoors and taking his dog, Giggsy, for walks on Murlough Nature Reserve, Tollymore and Castlewellan Forest Park. His passion for United – for whom Cristiano Ronaldo is his favourite player – remains great after many visits to Old Trafford over the years. Cian and his brothers have regularly come over to Manchester for games, his first and favourite being 2011's 8-2 victory against Arsenal.
Family and friends have held fundraisers consistently in recent months to help raise enough money to complete the renovations, from a sunrise swim social to a sponsored fun run, a ‘Climb for Cian’ up Doan Mountain and a ‘Coffee for Cian’ at his school, St. Patrick’s Grammar.
Cian’s aunt, Claire Carson, initiated the public fundraiser.
"It is this lovely community spirit,” she recently said. “It is so heart-warming. The community have been so good and generous from the very start and helped us in any way they can.
"It is just continuing. Every day it is something new. Every day we think it is going to settle, but every day there is just another offer or we see another post on Facebook.”
Husband Paul explained that any donations towards the cause “will really make a difference to Cian’s comfort and quality of life.”
If you’d like to donate to help get young Red Cian Milligan back to his family home, you can do so here.