Fresh recovery hope for Doncaster freak accident victim Laurie Jay Balfour

The family of a Doncaster woman who sustained serious brain injuries in a freak accident abroad believe they may soon be able to bring her back to Britain after she spoke her first word since going into a coma.

Laurie Jay Balfour sustained potentially life-threatening injuries when a 15 stone gas canister fell on her as she was ‘dancing the night away’ during a girls’ holiday to Zante in Greece.

Shortly after the 24-year-old’s freak accident on August 3, she was moved to a hospital in Athens where she has remained in a serious condition.

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But after Laurie said the word ‘no’ when her parents asked whether she was in pain, and squeezed her mum Deana’s hand, her doctors say they now believe Laurie is doing so well in her recovery that they are looking at arranging for her to be brought back to a hospital in Britain.

Speaking on a fundraising page for Laurie, a spokesman for the Balfour family said: “The doctors have said she’s doing really, really well so well that they have asked deana and Phil to speak with her insurance and make arrangements to bring her home

“This is still going to be a long road regarding her recovery, it’s just now once she’s home there won’t be a language barrier and we will find out exactly what she needs.”

Following Laurie’s horrific accident, her friends and family helped to set up an online fundraising group to raise funds for the 24-year-old and her family to help with her medical treatment and recovery.

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Since the group was set up over three weeks ago, almost £15,000 has been raised through donations from well-wishers and a number of fundraising events, the most recent of which is set to take place at Wheatley Hills Rugby Club from 10am on Sunday, September 4.

Among the attractions at the fundraiser will be a number of stalls, a raffle and a range of family friendly events.

Visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/laurie-balfour to donate.