Latest news with #MaireadClabby
Wales Online
18-05-2025
- Wales Online
Police officer's life 'changed forever' after going to the pub with her mates
Police officer's life 'changed forever' after going to the pub with her mates Mairead Clabby was just 23 when she was attacked while off-duty and left with serious neck and back and brain injuries She suffered years of debilitating pain after she was assaulted as a volunteer police officer It was an ordinary evening at the pub that would forever alter the life of Mairead Clabby. In December 2012, the then 23-year-old volunteer police officer had gone for a pint with some colleagues on the Wirral. Despite being off-duty, the group of officers were called into action when a violent row erupted between a couple, leaving the woman unconscious. As Mairead rang for medical help while her colleagues apprehended him, the woman regained consciousness and attempted to force her way back to his side. For her own safety, Mairead intervened, but the woman turned violent, kicking Mairead in the stomach, dragging her to the floor, pulling her hair out and throttling her. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . "It took three officers to restrain her in the end," Mairead remembered. "She yanked my hair and banged my head against the floor. I was left in considerable pain." I recall trying to persuade one of my colleagues, who I was giving a lift home, to leave because I could sense the atmosphere in the pub shifting," Mairead added. "But sadly, I didn't depart early enough," reports the Manchester Evening News. "The young officer was left with what she initially thought were muscular injuries to her neck and shoulder. However, despite numerous rounds of physiotherapy over the five years following the assault, there was no improvement." Article continues below It was making me quite ill at times. I suspected there might be something else going on, but I never had any scans. "As time passed, Mairead noticed her strength diminishing. I couldn't lift things in the office, my arm was getting shaky, I was getting quite weak and it was getting to a point where after my shift I was having to have a rest for four or five hours, get up for a little bit, and then go back to bed. Mairead is now running the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run for the Walton Centre "I knew something was going wrong. I was bumping into things, I wasn't able to write and type properly and I was losing feeling down like my right arm. Mairead returned to her GP and was initially recommended another round of physiotherapy. However, she opted to see another doctor who referred her for an MRI results exposed four herniated discs in her neck as well as a chiari malformation, a condition where brain tissue protrudes into the spinal canal often resulting from serious whiplash." "At that point I was the illest I'd ever been," Mairead reflected. "I had put on around seven stone and I wasn't really mobile. I had been a competitive athlete before the assault, but I was struggling doing walks around the block. It was a huge adjustment and it was really getting me down." Subsequently, she was directed to the Walton Centre in Liverpool, known for its neurology specialisation, where she underwent surgery to remove one of the problematic discs and insert a graft in its place. "It was life-changing straight away," she said. "As soon as my feet hit the floor walking around the ward I haven't really stopped. I lost about three stone in three months just from walking again." With help from the Police Treatment Centre, Mairead commenced her slow journey to recovery, and approximately a year later took up running, previously a competitive sport for her. Having Olympic athletes Eilish McColgan and Michael Rimmer as coaches, she's gradually regaining her strength and fitness. "Things are so different to how they were. I'm still on medication for my nerve pain and I'm still under the Walton Centre but the operation was really a turning point. " Article continues below Mairead is set to participate in the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run this Sunday, aiming to fundraise for the Walton Centre. She expressed her excitement about the challenge, especially running alongside Greater Manchester's own star, Keely Hodgkinson, who'll be starting the event.
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I was at the pub with my mates, then the next minute my life changed forever'
Mairead Clabby was enjoying a regular night out with her colleagues at the local pub until she was forced to intervene in a fight that broke out, leaving her with a life-changing condition An ordinary night out at the pub with friends altered Mairead Clabby's life forever. The then 23-year-old volunteer police officer had gone for drinks with some colleagues on the Wirral, Liverpool, in December 2012. Despite being off-duty, the group of officers were called into action when a violent fight broke out between a couple. The woman was knocked unconscious. But as Mairead called for medical assistance while her colleagues arrested him, the woman woke up and tried to force her way back to his side. Mairead stopped her for her own safety, but she became vicious, kicking Mairead in the stomach and dragging her to the floor before pulling her hair out and throttling her, reports the Manchester Evening News. "It took three officers to restrain her in the end," Mairead, now 36, recalled. "She pulled my hair and banged my head against the floor. I was left in a lot of pain. READ MORE: 'Police thought it was hoax when we explained what happened on weekend away' "I remember trying to get one of my colleagues, who I was giving a lift home, to leave because I could feel the atmosphere in the pub turning," Mairead added. "But sadly I didn't leave early enough." The young officer was left with what she initially believed to be muscular injuries to her neck and shoulder. But despite multiple rounds of physiotherapy over the five years following the assault, nothing was improving. "It was making me quite sick at times," she explained. "I thought there could be something else at play but I didn't ever have any scans." As time passed, she noticed her strength diminishing. "I couldn't lift things in the office, my arm was getting shaky, I was getting quite weak and it was getting to a point where after my shift I was having to have a rest for four or five hours, get up for a little bit, and then go back to bed," she shared. "I knew something was going wrong. I was bumping into things, I wasn't able to write and type properly and I was losing feeling down like my right arm." Mairead returned to her GP and was initially advised to undergo another round of physiotherapy. However, she chose to consult a different doctor who referred her for an MRI scan. The scan revealed four herniated disks in her neck and a chiari malformation - a condition where brain tissue extends into the spinal canal, often resulting from severe whiplash. "At that point, I was the illest I'd ever been," Mairead remembered. "I had put on around seven stone, and I wasn't really mobile. "I had been a competitive athlete before the assault, but I was struggling doing walks around the block. It was a huge adjustment and it was really getting me down." She was referred to the Walton Centre, a specialist neurology hospital in Liverpool, where she was offered surgery to remove one of the affected disks and replace it with a graft. "It was life-changing straight away," she revealed. "As soon as my feet hit the floor walking around the ward I haven't really stopped. I lost about three stone in three months just from walking again." After receiving support from the Police Treatment Centre, Mairead started rebuilding her life inch by inch. A year ago, she even laced up her running shoes and returned to a sport where she had previously excelled. Under the guidance of Olympic athletes Eilish McColgan and Michael Rimmer, she is on the road to regaining fitness and strength. "Things are so different to how they were," she shared. "I'm still on medication for my nerve pain and I'm still under the Walton Centre but the operation was really a turning point." Mairead is all set to tackle the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run this Sunday (18 May) as part of her efforts to give back to the Walton Centre that aided her recovery. She exclaimed that she's thrilled to face the challenge and will share the starting line with Greater Manchester's own Keely Hodgkinson, who is also participating. "I'm really looking forward to taking part and raising money and giving back to the Walton Center because they've obviously done so much for me," she expressed. "I think the atmosphere is going to be great!"
