A FUNDRAISING walk will take place on Sunday to raise much-needed funds for potentially life-changing stem cell treatment for a former North Belfast boxer.
Stephen McMullan (28) suffered a horrific brain injury and stroke following a fight at Girdwood Community Hub in December 2021.
Having initially spent five weeks in the intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital, he was later transferred to a stroke ward and to the Musgrave Park Hospital brain injury unit for intense rehabilitation.
He was finally able to return home in September 2022 after almost a year in hospital.
Ever since, Stephen continues to make remarkable progress, taking his first steps last year having been wheelchair-bound, while his speech continues to improve.
Having become a father for the first time last year to baby boy Eden, Stephen is hoping to make a significant next step in his recovery by travelling to Colombia for potentially life-changing treatment.
The brain stem cell therapy would see Stephen have ten million stem cells injected into his spine to help repair and regenerate his dead and damaged cells due to his stroke. It is expected that the treatment will give Stephen more mobility and gain more speech back.
To help raise money for the treatment, Holy Family Youth Centre have organised a community walk on Sunday at 11.30am. The walk will begin at the centre and make its way to the top of Cave Hill.
BJ McKevitt, from Holy Family Youth Centre, is encouraging the local community to come out and support the walk.
"Stephen is a local lad and came up through Holy Family Youth Club," he explained. "He was obviously a boxer with Newington ABC but also came in and helped coach the kids with us.
"We are calling on the community to come out on Sunday and support the walk and donate what you can. All money raised in the youth club this week and next week will go towards the fundraiser. We want to show Stephen and his family how much we are behind them as a community.
"Stephen and his girlfriend Amy welcomed a little boy into the world last year and it is his hope to continue his recovery to enable him to play a more active role in his upbringing and we want to try and make that possible by getting him this treatment."
Stephen's mother-in-law, Julie Ann Fitzsimons, thanked people for their support.
"Stephen always said from day one that he would prove the doctors wrong and so far he has," she added. "Stephen is so well thought of and everyone knows him.
"Stephen gave so much to the community when he was well and to see it all come back gives us all so much hope and comfort."
You can donate to Stephen's GoFundMe page here.
