Fwd: Jumping for Brian (In The Dark)!

Hi!

Brian's good friend, Mark Bowen is doing a sponsored bungee jump to help raise funding for Brian's upcoming Stem Cell Treatment.  The big day is October 2, and the jump takes place at MAGNA, in Sheffield.  Oh, and it's in the dark! 

If you'd like to sponsor Mark, please do so, by sending him an email at markbowen1@me.com

You can also donate by clicking the "DONATE" button! Make sure you reference the donation "Bungee Jump".  We'll be sure to post your name in lights (but only if you want us to)!  As soon as I get photographs from the event, I'll put them on Brian's Facebook, and on Brian's website!

What a great opportunity to support Brian's cause.  I love my brother, but I'm scared of bungee jumping, and the dark!  There would have to be a good shot of Irish Whiskey before and after the jump for me! 

Thanks so much to Mark and his family! 

Much love,

Hogan Family

Quick thank you...

Make sure you read the latest update from Brian's sister Grainne below! Also, many thanks to Brian's latest donors!

Philip T, Leicester UK $100.00

Ingrid H, Franklinton, La, US $50.00

Thanks so much for your generosity!

Brian Hogan Jr. Update - September 14, 2010 "Big Spender".

 "Big Spender".

Hello, Family & Friends!

I figured today would be a good day to send an update on Brian, because he's having a good day today.  Last week was not so good for him, which, in turn, made it not so good for the rest of us.  He was inconsolable all week long. He cried from one end of the week to the other.  Nothing really made him happy.  He kept saying "I just miss me".  Then he said "mammy, I'm broken - can you fix me".  Talk about breaking your heart wide open, and then throwing hot coals on top of it.  I thought last week would never end.  Thankfully, it did.  The whole family, sans myself, spent time with him last week, so I know it wasn't all bad. 

Dad gave him 10 Euros, because he hasn't had/needed money for anything, but he mentioned how he was a little embarrassed about not being able to at least offer to pay for coffee or a pastry (like we would let him pay for anything), so he had his whopping 10 Euros.  Hey, Big Spender!  I wonder if we should have offered him money early last week!  We would have cleared our bank accounts into his hands, if we thought it would have made a difference.  

Today, he told me the story of how he had everyone laughing and singing in the cooking class.  He said a woman was dancing and laughing so much, her prosthetic leg fell off, whizzed passed his ear, and hit the wall.  Now, the accuracy of that story has still to be determined, but he got so much pleasure out of telling it, that it hardly matters if it is in fact true.  He made "Irish soda bread, from the Avoca Cook Book", and had a warm slice of it, topped with cheese.  He said it was "fabulous".  I would have given anything to have shared a slice with him.  Although, Brian isn't the best at sharing his food.  He sometimes eats like it's his last meal.   I wonder if it has anything to do with being in a coma.  "Food for thought", pardon the pun!

He also spoke about a Physical Therapist, who did a session with him, and how she explained what every muscle did while she was manipulating it. He was impressed with her dedication.  He's like that himself, really. If you get him on the topic of something he enjoys; gardening, cooking, renovating, being a Quantity Surveyor, he can explain anything in 3D.  He's incredibly descriptive, and always was.  I remember hearing Brian laughing as he read "All Creatures Great & Small", and he would repeat the stories in such detail, that you really thought you were watching the Vet deliver a calf!

Recently, the family took a trip to Nottingham to box up Brian's house.  The Letting Agent found two lovely girls to rent Campbell Grove.  According to Dad, there was so much stuff in the house, that it was almost impossible to get everything boxed up in 3 days.  Thanks to Ann, and Joan, Vijay, Arun, and Pam, it was all done.  Special thanks to "big brother, John" for storing some of Brian's things until we can pick them up.  We would have been lost without all of you.  It was hard to imagine all of Brian's lovely things going into boxes.  It was harder to imagine the house full of his belongings, but without him in it.  Who's kidding who, it's all hard!

If you'd like to visit him, go for it.  Prepare to cry with laughter (save the real tears for when you leave, because he senses everything).  If you'd like to call him, his phone number is 087-655-4411.  If you call from the US, he's 6 hours ahead, and the number is 011-353-87-6554411.  If you're calling from the UK, the number will be 0044-87-655-4411.  He would love a quick "hello".  He's sure to tell you the same story a couple of times, but if you react like it's the first time around, he'll be thrilled with you!

Intense rehab is really good for Brian, but he does get lonely.  To wake up 4 months after a night out, and not be able to see, or move, must be awful.  Knowing that you all care for Brian so much, keeps him going, even through the tough times.  In some ways, things haven't really become easier.  We still need a little push now and then.  My parents & brother's & sisters are simply amazing.  But, they'll tell you themselves, they get days when it's easier to just stay in bed.  But, Brian doesn't get that luxury, so they keep going.  We have friends, and family that experience the highs and lows with us, and without all of you, this would be close to impossible.  So "thank you".

I promise that the next update will be shortly behind this one.  

Take good care of yourselves.  We're grateful for you every day.

Much love, and gratitude,

Hogan Family; Brian, Phil, Siobhan, Grainne (me), Nevis, Brian (the hero), Jonathan, & last, but not least, Shane!

xxxxxxxx

Remember, you can find Brian at www.iheartbrian.org, or www.iheartbrian.com, or www.iheartbrian.net.  He's like Visa; Everywhere!

P.S.  One picture is of Brian and Jonathan taking a nap.  We keep Brian on the inside, in case he decides to roll off!  The other picture was taken in Ann & John's back yard, on a lovely, sunny, June day.  It was a magic day, with lovely friends.  XX

Brian's New Internet Presence!

Whenever you're around Brian, his presence tends to be the center of attention, and it is never undeserved. Therefore it's fitting that Brian have even more of a presence on the internet. Starting today, you can get to this page simply by typing "iheartbrian" into your web browser address bar! Brian now has the following domains:

http://iheartbrian.org

http://iheartbrian.net

http://iheartbrian.com

This will make it easier to find Brian online, especially by search engines like Google & Yahoo. More presence means more traffic and hopefully more donations for Brian to help him regain his vision! Brian and his family are planning on going to Qingdao, China for his stem cell therapy in January, 2011. He needs as much support as you can muster! Remember, even if you can't donate, you can always forward this page to others and get the word out! And now you can do it using any of the new web addresses above!

Speaking of donations, a huge thank you to Brian's latest donors! 

Renee P, Barrington, IL, USA - $50.00

Jackie S, Limerick, Ireland - $20.00

Sheila K, Madisonville, LA, USA - $50.00

Maureen O, Greenlawn, NY, USA - $200.00

Many heartfelt thanks for your generosity! 

Keep spreading the word!

Brian Hogan Jr. - Update - "On The Road Again" August 17, 2010

Friends and Family,

I just realized I need to update everyone on "the kid"!  Ok, I tell a lie, I realized it last week, but last week was crazy, so I put it off until now. 

Brian had a little seizure last Sunday, August 8^th.  He was running a fever, and his temperature spiked really quickly, causing him to have a "febrile" seizure.  That just means it was temperature related.  With a brain injury, it's important to avoid fever, so we'll know the next time!  Poor Jonathan was driving Brian at the time, and he got a really bad scare, but they're both doing well now!

Brian spent a couple of hours in the Emergency Room, but was released once they figured out he had a mild chest infection.  From what I hear, he was quiet the "pepper" in there, so I'm sure they were only too happy to release him!  Shane was brave enough to call me and tell me what happened.  You know when the conversation starts with a full disclosure - "everything is fine now, but Brian spent the last couple of hours in the ER", that your day is completely turned upside down.  I always say to my family; "I'm just a day way, if I have to come home".  Look, if you're not within 10 minutes of where you want to be in an emergency situation, you're just too far away. 

Several weeks ago, Brian went to Dun Laoghaire (a little outside Dublin), to be evaluated for intense rehabilitation.  The facility is where Brian would have gone, had his attack occurred in Ireland.  They were really pleased with his rehab in Limerick, so basically turned him down as an in-patient.  It was neither good, nor bad news, just a little disappointing.  Then, Friday, my parents received a letter from Dun Laoghaire, telling them that "Brian was accepted to their in-patient rehabilitation facility", and that they should have him there by Monday (yesterday).  Talk about roller coasters of emotion!

If there's one thing that Brian is, it's determined.  Hard work never scared Brian.  He could turn his hand at anything, and if something needed to get done, Brian would always figure out a way to do it.  So, this opportunity is a fantastic one.  He will be kept busy from one end of the day to the next with all types of therapies.  We're thrilled, but a little apprehensive at the same time.  Right now, Brian is only 20 minutes from family, at any given moment.  Dun Laoghaire is 2 hours away.  Fortunately, we have friends who don't live too far from where he'll be, so he'll be kept busy.  From everything we hear, he'll be in bed early, and asleep early, due to all the workouts!  Maybe he'll stop calling me at 6, 7, 8am (that's 12, 1, 2am US time) for a "chat".  When the phone rings in the middle of the night, it's enough to scare 10lbs off your body.  And you can't pretend to be anything less than thrilled.  One night, he had me singing "Wild Thing" at 2am.  I hope the neighbors didn't hear it!

By now, most of you know that we've pretty much settled on China for Brian's Stem Cell Treatment.  We've researched all the options, and the facility in China is where we're heading.  The facility comes highly recommended by a several people.  The facility has been written about in the well respected Medical Journals, so we're confident this is the right place for him to go. Of course, there are no guarantees, but we're going to try everything we can.  You can keep an "eye" on Brian through his blog at http://helpbrian.blogspot.com for additional updates too.  Please feel free to pass this update to anyone and everyone.  Awareness is key, and every contribution, no matter how small, is fantastic.

Here's a link to the website for Dun Laoghaire: http://www.nrh.ie

I'm not sure of all the visiting times, but I know that during the week, they start at 6pm, and go to 9pm.  Brian gets tired in the evenings, so if he falls asleep on you, don't be offended!  It'll be your chance to "escape", and visit again!  The weekends are more open, but I'm not too sure of the times.  I couldn't find them on the website, but you can call the facility if you'd like to know for sure. 

If you'd like to send Brian a card or letter, you can send it to the following address:

National Rehabilitation Hospital,
Rochestown Avenue,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co. Dublin,
Ireland.

Brian would absolutely love to hear from you.  "Fan mail" has slowed down, but now that he's away from home, this is your chance to send him a little encouragement!  Thanks in advance!

We're not done with our fundraising, of course.  We would love to hear your ideas, if you've had success with fundraising in the past.  If you have any ideas, shoot them my way. 

Thanks to every single one of you for your love and support.  The first year was tough, and we're hoping it was the toughest, but we don't know what's around the corner for "the kid"!

I promise I will send another update soon. 

Much love to all our friends & family, old and new!

Hogan Family xx

China Bound

Well, after much deliberation, Brian & his family have decided on a treatment center for his stem cell therapy! It's Beike Biotech in Quindao, China. He's planning to go there in January, 2011 for a six-week stay for his therapy, which will involve six to eight injections of stem cells. 

Why Beike? Despite many warnings of stem cell scams in China, this facility comes with a good reputation, well respected in the medical community. There is also the testimony of fellow Irish Valerie Dolan, who also suffered from optic nerve atrophy and had good results from Beike. No one expects everything to be perfect after his therapy; after all, Brian does have other issues involving his brain trauma, namely his difficulty moving his left side. But we have high hopes that some restoration of his sight will help motivate him to continue progressing with the rest of his therapy. 

Brian spends at least an hour a day on the cycle trainer at Beech Lodge. He is able to travel around a bit in the car and of course has a wonderful singalong with the radio. And of course, the stories. He keeps everyone in stitches with his many hilarious stories and jokes! 

As you can imagine, travel to China from Ireland won't be cheap. Neither will the treatment, at $30,000. But now that we have a definite goal, your donations mean more now than ever! Please, if you can make a donation, do so - no matter how small or large! Even if you can't donate, forward this page to anyone you can. Spread the word!

Speaking of donations, many thanks to Brian's latest donors:

Julie F., Staffordshire, UK - $50.00

Katrina W., Cardiff, UK - $15.00

Martina A., Ballingarry, Ireland - $20.00

Christine E., Sheffield, UK - $5.00

Amy F. Staffordshire, UK - $40.00

Many thanks to each of you that have contributed to the restoration of Brian's sight! Keep spreading the word! 

Decision time!

It's been a little while since updating. We've been busy researching various stem cell treatment centers for Brian. We're probably going to try to get Brian his treatment and worry about paying for it later. This means that your donations will be more important than ever! It's like jumping into a pool without knowing if there's water in it! 

We've just about narrowed it down to three places - China, USA or Dominican Republic. All will be a difficult trip for Brian, and all will cost a minimum of $30,000 just for the therapy, not including transportation and accommodations. 

So far this website has raised about $2000.00 for Brian. You can help him right now by making a donation, however large or small! I spoke with Brian the other day and he was "flying high" with the news that his treatment would not be as expensive as we first thought and that results may conceivably be noticed within a few days of treatment! Given that this talented, brilliant young man has had his life turned inside out by being confined to a wheelchair and completely unable to see, you can imagine how any good news is a beacon of hope! You can make that beacon shine brighter by donating! Even if you cannot donate, you can spread the word on Twitter, Facebook, Stumbleupon or any way you can think of. Use the links on the right-hand side of the page to let others know that they can help help too!

Thanks to all who have already given so generously! Let's keep up the good work!

Slowly but surely... Brian's first year

It's hard to believe, but it's been one year ago today (19 July) that Brian was first injured. He's made some amazing progress. If you've listened to him singing in the YouTube videos (http://to.ly/5zjm and http://to.ly/5zjo), you know this firsthand. But he has a long way to go. Your support, whether it's through donations, or visits to Brian and his family or just keeping up with this blog is enormously appreciated and keeps Brian and his family going day by day.

Research for Brian's treatment is going slowly, but steadily. I've gotten several emails and phone calls from both facilities and patients who have received stem-cell therapy. Several different people I've talked too have been most helpful and hopeful for Brian's recovery. Many thanks to all who have responded!

Brian has yet to see the Neuro-Ophthalmologist in Dun Laoghaire, so once that happens, we'll be in a better position to know exactly where to turn next! 

Some of the interesting things I've found out:

It may not necessary to go all the way to India. Promising results might be as close as Europe or North America!

One patient's father said treatment for his son cost around $30,000 - so we may be much closer to getting Brian's therapy than we thought! 

Based on others' experiences with stem cells, results might begin to be noticed within just a few days of treatment!

Still, Brian has a long way to go. Below is part of Grainne's (Brian's sister) email update on Brian. If you'd like to receive Grainne's updates in your own email, just let me know and I'll forward your address on to her.

And last but not least - many, many thanks to Brian's latest donors! 

Rob P, Deventer, the Netherlands $10.00

Beverly C, New Orleans, La. $26.00

Lea B, Nottinghamshire, UK $75.00

Here's Grainne's update:

Dear Family & Friends,

It's hard to believe that today, July 19, 2010, is the first anniversary of Brian's attack.  We've all come so far, and we've watched Brian come even further.  Getting a phone call the morning after Brian's attack is something you just never prepare yourself for.  When you live away from "home", you always dread the phone ringing early in the morning, but nothing prepares you for bad news – nothing.  I dreaded today, and I dread tomorrow, but a year has flown by. For that, we're all grateful!

Brian has been in Ireland since May 8, and he's doing well in so many ways.  I spent the last two weeks in June with him, and he's amazing.  He's now engaged in Physical Therapy 4 times a week, but that's not enough for Brian; he uses the bike pedals at Beech Lodge, for over an hour every day.  He's involved in several types of therapy, including music therapy.  This is his favorite one, as most of you know he's a huge music fan.  Brian had a tracheotomy for over 3 months, so his voice has changed, but it hasn't stopped him singing. 

As time goes on, we're hearing more and more about the severity of Brian's initial injury.  He suffered several serious strokes in the early stages of injury, which is the reason for his left side paralysis.  The "experts" said, "he'll never have use of his left side again, but you should see him ride those pedals!  He's working hard on his upper left side too, but it's taking a while. 

While I was in Ireland, we hosted a Fundraiser for Brian.  This was strongly encouraged by media, and friends, as a way for people to show their support for Brian.  We're knee deep in research for Stem Cell treatment, but there are so many places, and with every success story, there are some horror stories, so we're not about to jump into anything without knowing as much as possible.  Brian's blindness is the worst for him (and us, of course).  Not a day goes by when he doesn't say, "do you think I'll ever see again"?  It's like someone stabbing you with a spoon. 

The Fundraiser was a blast.  We had planned for about 200 attendees, but we're pretty sure the turn out was more like 450 to 500! What a great night!  Of course, Brian stole the show, over and over.  To be honest, the turnout was a true testament to my parents.  If you knew how much they do every single day, you would wonder how it was at all possible.  My whole family works hard every day at taking care of Brian, but my parents are responsible for more than I can begin to explain.

Dealing with the paperwork side of Brian's condition is a nightmare.  Thought Brian lived and worked in the UK for over 9 years, the UK denied Brian any type of disability.  We couldn't even get Brian into the Irish system until he was physically in the country, so we had to start the process in May, and it's only now starting to come together.  We're a long way from getting it done, but it's a constant flow of paperwork after paperwork, after phone call, after meeting. 

We've set up a blog for Brian, so we'll be putting these updates on there. It's a blog that you can comment if you'd like.  Feel free to forward the link to your friends, or you can put it on your facebook or twitter, as a way to show support for Brian, and his ongoing rehab. 

Now, more than ever, Brian would love to hear from you.  He's having a really tough time, and it's always good for him to hear words of encouragement.  Even if you don't know Brian, you can email, or comment.  We all have something to say, so if you want to say something – come on, say it!  Just because Brian is no longer in England, it doesn't mean that he doesn't miss it.  Nottingham is where Brian chose to live.  He fell in love with Nottingham, and built his whole life there.  Out of sight, out of mind, is easy for us, but for Brian, he's trapped inside his own body and mind right now, so if you can take the time to write a few words of encouragement – thank you, thank you.

If you'd like to use the "donate" button on Brian's blog page, go right ahead.  Every single penny goes into Brian's Trust account, and it's all for Brian's medical care.  Stem Cell treatment is not covered by Brian's insurance, but we're not about to tell him "sorry, we can't afford to try EVERYTHING possible to give you your eyesight", so if you can help, go for it! 

I'll keep the updates coming.  They're a little less frequent, but it's only because progress is slow.  It's slow, yet steady, and moving in the right direction, and that's what matters. 

From my very grateful family to you and yours – thank you, thank you.

Much love,

Brian Sr., Phil, Siobhan, Grainne, Nevis, Brian Jr., Jonathan, and Shane.  xxx

Spreading the word!

Many thanks to Dr. Alan Glazier (@eyeinfo on Twitter) for helping to spread the word on his website, eyeinfo.wordpress.com! He's put up this special post on his blog dedicated to Brian and the research we've been doing to get the particulars about stem cell treatment! It's people like this and all of you reading this page that will help Brian and others like him to regain their vision and live a more normal life after such debilitating injuries.

On behalf of the Hogan family, myself and especially Brian Hogan, Jr. - Thank you, Dr. Glazier!

The work continues!

Spent the last couple days researching stem cell therapy. We already know the basics of what is involved, the difficult part has been trying to find a facility or hospital that actually performs the procedure. 

If you're reading this post and you are involved in stem cell treatment, or you have had stem cell treatment yourself, I'd love to hear from you! Brian has an appointment in Dun Laoghaire this month with a Neuro-Ophthamologist, so I sure some of our questions might be answered then, but if not, then Brian needs your help with information!

Who performs stem cell treatment for optic nerve atrophy? Where will Brian need to go to get it? How much does it cost? What is the most likely outcome for Brian? How many people have been treated and what was their outcome? How can we contact these people and facilities?

Post your replies in the comments, or feel free to email me at sfitzmorris@gmail.com.

Also, much gratitude to Brian's latest benefactors:

Chris P, New Orleans, LA $50.00

Richard of sturtle.com for posting this fantastic article about Brian and spreading the word! (@sturtledotcom on Twitter)

Thanks very much! And if you have any info on the specifics of stem cell therapy mentioned above, email me or post in the comments!

Another Treat from Our Man Brian! To the Moon

A Special Treat: Preacher Man

Thank you for your help!

More donations for Brian have been received and are deeply appreciated! Brian's latest benefactors:

Louise M, Sydney, Australia $100.00

Lauren M, New Orleans, La $80.00

Your continuing donations are being put to good use in saving for Brian's therapy!

It's taking a lot of work researching stem cell treatment for Brian's blindness, but your donations and support are helping make it all worth it! Every penny is going to Brian. So far, this website has raised $1884.65! (after PayPal fees). Thats €1492.20! Thank you for your help! By the way, the fundraiser Quiz Night raised over €10,000 for Brian! We expected about 200 people, but over 500 showed up for a great night! Many thanks to the Strand Hotel for their donation of the Shannon Suite for the party! By the way, your bartenders are the BEST!

Brian is doing well. He's kept busy with his physical therapy, music therapy and frequent visits from family and friends. He's able to get himself out of the car on his own, and can walk a bit too! His mind is a sharp as ever; if you go visit him, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the stories he has to tell you! He'll keep you in stitches laughing! Brian also has a great friend at the Neuro Rehab in Bruree, Dave South. He's been wonderful in keeping Brian company when the family can't be there. He'll be reading this to Brian, so Dave, good man yourself! You are very well spoken of in the Hogan house!

In other news, we're still waiting for bids on Luka Bloom's guitar! See the photos of this terrific instrument below. If the idea of an auction scares you, then think of it as making an offer! Remember your offer goes to help Brian get his sight back! And if you make a ludicrously high offer, we can throw in the shipping! Own a bit of musical history!

Again, thanks for all you've done for Brian. Please use one of the links in the right-hand column to alert others to this website via Twitter, Facebook, Digg, StumbleUpon or any of the social networking sites. Keep spreading the word!

Fwd: More Guitar pics! You can own Luka Bloom's guitar & help a wonderful person!

Oops, got delayed in posting more pics! Sorry! Luka Bloom's guitar is a 20 year-old Alvarez acoustic guitar in PERFECT condition! Bid on it now to acquire this piece of musical history. Auction goes till the end of July (see the next post to view the details of the auction). Along with owning this one-of-a-kind treasure, you'll be helping Brian to regain his sight! Everybody wins!

Auction for Luka Bloom's signed guitar to benefit Brian Hogan!

Grainne & Sean finally arrived back in America after a very good visit with Brian in Ireland. Here are the photos of Luka Bloom signing his guitar he donated for Brian's fundraiser. The guitar didn't sell, so it's being offered for auction here online. Luka specifically said that the guitar was to be auctioned for no less than €1500.00, so we're starting the bidding at that. If you need to convert your local currency to Euros, there's a currency converter at the very bottom of this page. There will also be more photos of the guitar posted later on today. If you'd like to find out more about him, here's the link for Luka Bloom's website - listen to his fantastic music!

A few words about the guitar: it is in MINT condition! Not a ding or scratch anywhere and the sound is absolutely... well, musical. The carrying case is also one of the attractive features - it's been all over the world and has the most beautiful scars to prove it!

To bid silently on the guitar, send an email to sfitzmorris@gmail.com, not via the PayPal button on this page. I'll update the current bid daily. Be aware that shipping is not included in the bid, but if you want to calculate the shipping yourself and choose your own method of shipping, we'll be happy to ship it whatever way you want. Just be aware that the guitar will ship from Limerick, Ireland, so choose a method that is available there. We will notify you by email of the price of shipping if you would prefer us to handle all the shipping arrangements. Alternately, you can drive on over and collect it yourself (the address will be provided to the highest bidder by email). Since this is a fundraiser for Brian Hogan, there can be NO REFUNDS on your winning bid.The auction will continue for one month and will close at midnight Monday, 1 August, 2010, UCT (Greenwich Mean Time). The winner will be announced on this site and via email at that time. If the funds for the winning bid have not been received within 48 hours of the close of the auction, the next highest bidder will be notified and that will be the winner.

And of course, outright donations are always accepted via the PayPal button on the right-hand side of the page.

Good luck and spread the word!

Luka Bloom signing his guitar for Brian and a lucky winner!

Brian's sister Nevis Hogan and Luka Bloom.

The signed guitar in its case (perfect condition!)

You can be the highest bidder on this terrific and beautiful instrument!

Some of the prizes at Brian's fundraiser, 24 June, 2010.

Brian Hogan, Jr. with Dennis from Nottingham, his brother Shane Hogan and brother-in-law Sean Fitzmorris at the fundraiser 24 June, 2010. You can help him lose the dark glasses and see again! Isn't that worth your donation, no matter how large or small?

More donations to thank you for!

I said we'd have the photos up of Luka Bloom's guitar; sorry, just haven't had a chance to get it done yet. But we should have it up by tonight!
In the meantime, your continuing donations are so greatly appreciated! Last night I visited with The Man Himself, and Brian was overwhelmed at how much generosity has been shown to him from this website and the Quiz Night Fundraiser. He is making impressive progress. Last night he was showing us his sit-ups & ab crunch exercises and we practiced a few new stretching techniques. Brian continues to impress us with his memory - it's come back with a vengeance. He was reciting poetry from memory; we asked him all the trivia questions from the Quiz Night Fundraiser and he got nearly all of them right! A few hours later, we asked him the trivia again and the few questions he had gotten wrong earlier, he knew all the answers to the second time around!
His memory of people, places, events, conversations... almost anything comes back to him with near-perfect clarity - almost as if he had never been hurt.
But of course, he was hurt. It's heartbreaking that with his fabulous memory, he still can't see. Or that such a brilliant mind is trapped in a body that needs help doing even very basic activities.
There is hope for Brian - that's the whole point of this website. You can be a part of it by making a donation, no matter how big or small. Even if you can't donate, you can help Brian by forwarding this website to everyone you can.

Our most recent donors (Thank you so very much!):
Megumi I, Mansfield, TX $100.00
David H, Basel, Switzerland $100.00
Joanne P, Whangarei, New Zealand $60.00

All our donors are amazing people. You will always have a special place in our family.

Amazed at the generosity!

Brian's fundraiser last night took in just under €10,000! Some fantastic prizes were given out, and there were some silent auction prizes that went for a pretty penny! In addition, this website has recieved a net total of $1,460.70 (€1,186.41)! Great things are happening for Brian! He was in great spirits for the entire thing; they even played a recording of a couple of Brian's songs - everyone cried!
Many thanks to the Strand Hotel for the Shannon Suite, the great food and the terrific bartenders! Also to everyone who donated prizes, their time, effort and money all for Brian's wonderful cause!
Now- another matter. The fundraiser isn't over! Not all of the silent auction items made the minimum bid. Therefor the auction will be continued here! The top item will be auctioned off here online - Luka Bloom's guitar, donated and signed by Luka Bloom!


Finally, along with the folks at the fundraiser last night (at least 500 people!), enormous thanks to our lated web contributors:
Connie M, Limerick, Ireland $100.00
Sean & Tracey H, Brisbane, Australia $100.00

Many thanks! And there'll be photos of the party and the items for auction up here within the next day!

Brain's fundraiser a smashing success!

It's nearly 3 am after Brian Hogan's fundraiser at the Strand Hotel. I can't give you a tally on the grand total taken in for Brian just yet, but I can tell you it was a good dent in it! Much fun was had by all during the quiz, many prizes were given out, and the band played on into the wee hours. And Brian himself, the Man of the Moment, held court throughout the evening!
More details & photos to come!
Also, some very valuable silent auction items were not sold, so those will be available on this site very soon! Watch this spot for some great items you'll definitely want - and every penny goes to Brian's care!

Even if you don't want or care about any of the wonderful prizes available, you can still contribute to Brian using the PayPal button on this site. Even if you can't contribute, you can still help Brian by spreading the word! Email your friends, use one of the social networking links on the right of this page, or just tell your friends about Brian and this website!
Thanks again for all of Brian's supporters!

Many thanks to Brian's latest contributors!

The response to this website is so encouraging! Your generosity is truly appreciated! Brian's fundraiser is at the Strand Hotel in Limerick, Ireland on Thursday night, June 24. We'll take plenty of photos and post them here for you to enjoy! The proceeds from this website, along with the fundraiser, will be a wonderful boost to Brian and all his family. Hope you can attend! If you can't, you can always be a part of Brian's long road to recovery by either donating or forwarding this website to your friends or social networking site. Or you could do both! Thanks once again, in particular to Brian's latest benefactors-

Jewel C, Aurora, CO $50.00

Anne G, Brooklyn, NY $100.00

Ciaran B, Limerick, Ireland $30.00

Scott A, Nottingham, UK $30.00

Brian C, Las Vegas, NV $100.00

See you at the Strand!

-Sean

Fwd: Brian Hogan Jr. Update - June 21, 2010

Grainne's latest update on Brian!-

Subject: Brian Hogan Jr. Update - June 21, 2010

Hello from the land of Guinness and Tayto!

Just a quick update, now that I've seen "the kid" himself, in his "new habitat".  Brian was really excited to "see" me.  He kept introducing me to staff and other "inmates" over and over.  I'm sure they were sick of shaking my hand.  I arrived in Ireland with absolutely no luggage, so I had been in the same clothes for almost 36 hours.  He wouldn't have minded if I visited him in a purple velor suit.

We had a great 1st day together.  His mood was fabulous.  Toward the end of the day we sat at the computer and I started reading the early updates to him, along with all your responses.  I'm not sure how I held it together, as some of those updates were quiet emotional, but I managed it.  Brian kept saying "well done, well done, now tell me who responded"!  If you think he doesn't hear the responses - wrong.  He loves all the details!  So don't be afraid to hit "reply" and tell me what you're thinking.

Most of the time Brian is in good form, but when he's sad, it's heartbreaking.  He just hangs his head and says "I'm so sad".  The only upside to him not being able to see - he can't see us crying.  I was able to compose myself until yesterday, and then the heavens opened and I thought they'd never close. 

Plans for Brian's Fundraiser are going really well.  Although we've never had any experience with this sort of thing, everyone has been fabulous.  We're not even sure if we're doing it right, but we'll figure it out!  We'll be sure to post pictures on Brian's new blog - http://helpbrian.blogspot.com/

Feel free to send that link to as many people as you'd like.  Every bit helps, and you never know who's out there that know something about the right kind of treatment for Brian's eyesight loss.  Also, you never know who's dying to leave they're fortune to someone deserving!

Will email everyone again soon.

From my family to yours - "thank you".

Much love,

Hogan Family xx