A County Tyrone woman who suffered horrific injuries in a motorcycle accident almost two years ago is now organising a very special fundraiser as a personal ’thank-you’ to the teams who ultimately saved her life.
Lauren Cruickshank, originally from Coalisland and now living in Craigavon, had been riding her motorbike along a road in County Down when the accident happened.
As friends, travelling with her, later told Lauren: “The bike went from underneath me and that was it.”
That was in August 2024.
Fast forward to 2026, and Lauren and her friends are now organising a Motorbike Ride Out around Lough Neagh in aid of REVIVE, the charity supporting the Regional Intensive Care Unit in Belfast.
It will take place on Saturday, May 16, meeting at Sally McNally’s, near Portadown, at 10am and departing at 10.30am, and arriving in Lauren’s home town of Coalisland at around 12.30pm.
Even when she was in hospital, Lauren was overwhelmed by the care she received and knew that she would one day do something “as a way of giving back and showing my gratitude” and this, now, is it.
Looking back to that dreadful summer’s day – and the uphill battle to follow – she told Armagh I : “I don’t remember the accident, funnily enough. I don’t remember it myself, but it was a three months stint in hospital in the finish up and I’m still on the crutches recovering from it. But I’m still here, so that’s the main thing.
“My injuries were severe, including multiple fractures, time on a ventilator and later pulmonary embolisms that brought me close to the edge again.
“I was 10 days in ICU. I don’t really remember a whole pile of that to be honest. The only things that I sort of remember are being wheeled to X-ray and going over the wee lips when you’re being pushed into the lift, I just remember squealing with the pain. That’s the one thing that sticks out in my head of that whole time is the pain of that.
“But it was 10 days in ICU and then in the Royal and then moved to Craigavon Hospital and I didn’t get out until the end of October.
“I was very lucky. I had three dices with death on the road and then they ended up having to intubate me when I went into the hospital.
“Then again, on the 28th of August, I took multiple pulmonary embolisms which near got me again. The doctor actually said to me, ‘thankfully, you knew your own body, you knew something wasn’t right’. I had rung the buzzer for the nurses to come.
“It’s been a long road. I’ve had a lot of help from people, a lot of help from my friends and my family. I had to learn to re-walk again. Like I say, I’m stubborn, maybe it’s the redhead in me, who knows?
“It’s been an ongoing process. I’m still in physio every day, still see my consultant. I have to go and see if there’s metal work to come out of this wrist in a couple of weeks time, so I have to go to another consultant for that, and I’ve to go and see a plastic surgery team because of Morel-Lavallée lesions and they’re not really shrinking.
“So there’s a whole pile going on, but like I say, I’m still here so I’m not really complaining.”
With so much to come through and such a long way still to go, you would think the last thing on Lauren’s mind would be undertaking a fundraiser such as this. All of the organisation, planning a raffle and the logistics, it would be a lot for anyone at any time to do.
But there’s no keeping a good woman down and Lauren, with the help of friends and family, is determined to give back.
The simple question ‘why?’ came back with an equally simple response: “The people.”
As Lauren elaborated: “Honestly, I don’t think I’d be where I am today without them. I know I wouldn’t be here. Without them, until this day, even though I’m at home now and I’m trying to get on with things, the help that they’ve given me is still insane.
“I know people give off a lot about the NHS, but once you’re in that system you’re still getting help from them. If you pick up the phone they get me in as quick as possible, they get me seen to as quick as possible, once you’re in that system. They’re outstanding. I think a lot of people would be lost without them. I know I most certainly would. They really got me through it.”
A Motorbike Ride Out seemed like the perfect idea.
And Lauren knew that once again she would have support every step of the way…
“There’s a group of like-minded people – we call ourselves Portadown and Craigavon Motorcycle Owners Group – that come together as and when they can. We have decided to give back to the people that have helped me so much. It’s something that really from the get-go, even when I was in the hospital, I knew was something I wanted to do. And I feel like now it is the time to do it.
“ Things are improving for myself, albeit it has been a long road and there’s still a long road ahead of me. It’s something I want to do to give back.
“I suppose it all sparked as well and why I’m pushing it now is recently one of my friends who did come to visit me in ICU actually took me up to visit the unit again. It was one of the first times I actually cried over the whole thing. It sort of hit me, not that I remember much of it at all, but it just sort of hit me and it was like, right, now it’s time to give back.
“Sally McNally’s, it’s a place that we all go to on a Wednesday, to keep in touch with each other, just to meet up and continue talking about bikes and keep that camaraderie going. They’ve been very supportive as well, in terms of anything that we’ve done charity-wise previously. It was always a good starting point.
“We have done ride outs like this before. One in particular was for a guy whose wife has MS. It was a miserable day but there was still close to 100 bikes. It was all to raise funds for that and they did raise a fair bit of money. It’s just anything that I can do to help the folks that helped me.
“Doing a lap of the lough, I think it’s nice anyway, when you see a group of bikes all coming together for a cause and it does turn heads in the street. We always like to do a good route, a somewhat scenic route, and then just to finish back off in my home town where I’m originally from. My parents are still there, a lot of family is still there, so I suppose it’s a wee nod to them as well, to say thanks for putting up with me over the past two years and all the complaining I’ve been doing!”
As well as the Ride Out next month, a raffle is also being planned, with tickets on sale on the day and some great prizes on offer.
“Funnily enough, I was actually collecting a few things for the raffle the other day and one of the guys who had donated, just a random kind man, he was actually one of the First Responders to the scene of my accident but it was just by pure chance that I bumped into him,” said Lauren.
“The Northwest 200 actually got in touch with me this morning to offer Paddock passes as well to raffle off. A lot of local businesses as well, and even ones across the water, like bigger companies, have donated a lot of prizes and things like that to help with the raffle. People have been so, so generous and we’re very lucky.”
All are welcome to come along on the day and all riders are invited to take part in this fully-marshalled event, with the cost of £10 per bike going towards the overall total for REVIVE.
While Lauren admits she would “love to” take part herself, that sadly is not an option.
But she will certainly be there and is looking forward to seeing everyone on the day.
“I have sat on a bike but I don’t know if I’m going to be fit to ride one,” said Lauren. “I am very much still on crutches, still reliant on people helping me for things. Recovery is long, it has been long, but like I say, I’m still here.
“I just want to be there, obviously to show my face, express my gratitude towards REVIVE and the crowd that helped me and really push it as much as possible. They’re a phenomenal charity helping so many people.
“This event aims to bring people together while raising vital funds for REVIVE, which supports over 2,000 critically ill patients and their families each year through the work of RICU.
“They need help and support like everything. Obviously, everybody is finding it tight at the minute, especially charities, so it’s just to raise as much money and awareness and I suppose just to say a massive ‘thank-you’ back to the people that have helped me so much.”
To make a contribution to Lauren’s Just Giving page click here.
