Community Fundraiser Launched to Support Casey Gemma After a Life-Changing Spinal Cord Injury

The mountain bike community are rallying to support injured British mountain biker, Casey Gemma with a crowdfunding campaign that has already reached over £40,000.

Casey, a mountain biker and yoga instructor living in Cornwall, was riding with friends on April 11 when she crashed and suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury. She was airlifted to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery and was found to have fractured her spine. On waking up from surgery, Casey was given the news that she may never walk again. She currently has no feeling from the waist down and requires 24-hour support from hospital staff and her family.

Casey now faces a period of recovery at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and then 3-6 months of rehabilitation at the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre in Salisbury. Once she is able to leave hospital, Casey's home will require specialist equipment to support her mobility.

On hearing the news of Casey's accident, friends and family set up a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to raise money to support her recovery. At the time of writing, the campaign has already received over £40,000 of its £50,000 target with donations flooding in from across the world.

Should the fund exceed its target, it will be allowed to continue to provide even more support for Casey and her family. Organisers also hope to provide a donation to the Air Ambulance and various other organisations that will support her recovery.

The campaign explains that the funding will be used to support Casey and her family in the future. "As Casey runs her own business, she will be receiving no income for as long as she is unable to work... With a new house, mortgage repayments and bills to cover, the money raised will help to alleviate the financial strain from both of them so they can focus on Casey's recovery and rehabilitation".

Those looking to support Casey Gemma's GofundMe can do so with this link.