The University of Galway is to conduct a safety and security review of access to its student accommodation facilities after a young woman incurred a life-changing injury recently when climbing over a high metal fence surrounding one of its student residences.
The First Year student's finger was severed when she climbed over the six feet fence, which has spikes at the top, to stay overnight with a female friend at Corrib Village. One of three student residences located on the university campus, it provides accommodation for 764 students.
The Galway Advertiser understands the Co Galway woman is one of five students (both male and female and all First Years ) who have lost or badly damaged their fingers in the past five to six years while trying to get over this particular fence. There are several warning signs, located two to three metres apart on the structure in question, highlighting that it is an "Anti Climb Fence".
"It's a well known phenomenon, year after year; there are multiple students affected and lots of fingers have been lost," according to a concerned source who contacted this newspaper. "This is the fifth person I am aware of who has been injured in this way. These injuries are usually sustained during the first week in September when the new students enrol at the university. The fence is highly dangerous, it is an ongoing risk, and students are being mutilated. They are exposed to shocking pain and trauma. In the most recent incident, the ambulance crew had to retrieve the finger off the fence." Some students have lost wedding ring fingers which can be especially traumatic.
The 18-year-old who was involved in the most recent incident was due to begin a four year undergraduate degree programme at the university the following week. When she arrived at Corrib Village around midnight after her first night out in Galway city, she climbed the fence to gain entry to the complex. The gate to the property is locked around 9pm and only residents can access the facility through a turnstile using their ID card.
She managed to get over the gate, however, when she landed on the other side she was shocked to discover her right hand was badly cut and was bleeding profusely. When she looked at her left hand, she was horrified to see her forefinger was missing.
"It is a big, green fence. It's about six feet tall, and each pole has three spikes on the top of it," said the student who wishes to remain anonymous. "I must have put my hand between the three spikes. When I dropped to the other side, the shock stilled me. I only then noticed my right hand. My pinky finger and going down into my palm was cut open. I had to get 20 stitches in that hand. On my left hand, my index finger had been caught. That finger got completely torn off, when I landed on the other side, it was on the fence."
Shocked but calm
The student, the youngest of a family of four, was on her own when the incident occurred. Shocked but calm, she telephoned her friend and then called an ambulance. She did not react until her friend arrived on the scene.
"My friend had gone into the house first, there was no-one with me. When she came out, she was crying her eyes out. A load of people came over to help. I was in such a state of shock that I didn't feel anything, my right hand hurt more than my left hand where my finger was gone. That hand only started hurting before surgery. There was blood streaming and the finger was missing. I asked them to look for my finger on the ground. The paramedics found it on the fence."
The trauma of the event only began to hit her while she was in University Hospital Galway awaiting surgery to reattach her finger - the operation took seven hours. "I got my friend to contact my family. My sister was first to respond. She came into the hospital, she was there before the surgery. My mum was there afterwards. I was sitting there waiting for the surgery and they [the surgeons] were explaining it and the consequences. They were telling me it mightn't work [the reattachment] they told me if I cut my finger off myself there would be a better chance of saving it, because it was ripped off, it was ruined."
However, thanks to the exceptional skill, care, and attention of the medical and nursing staff at UHG, her finger is healing. "There are meant to be five or six veins in your finger but they could only get one good vein because the rest were severed. The surgery took seven hours. They said there was no guarantee it would work, it still could be amputated, it is not fully recovered."
Two days after undergoing surgery, leech therapy was introduced as a blood circulation aid. Medical leeches - segmented, predatory worms - are used in select areas such as plastic and reconstructive surgery. They are applied to the wound area and their blood sucking action is used to increase circulation, improve blood flow, and speed healing.
"I had surgery on a Thursday morning, on Saturday, they put on the leeches, they keep blood circulating on the finger. They latch on and suck the blood. New leeches went on every three hours for two weeks and at weekends, every six hours. During my remaining days in hospital they went on every 12 hours."
She remembers feeling "awful" at the start of her three week hospital stay. Both her hands were bandaged during the first week and she was unable to do anything. "I couldn't feed myself, I had to be fed by the nurses. It was horrible. Thank God, my right hand started to heal and I can use it. I suppose during the first weeks I didn't know what was going on, I was scared.
"I did a good bit of sleeping. For the last while, the wound is lightly wrapped. I can see it right now, it doesn't look like a normal finger, it would turn your stomach. But, the doctor [in hospital] was telling me it's looking good."
Life-changing injury
She is appealing to the university authority to remove the high fence surrounding the Corrib Village student accommodation complex before someone else incurs a life-changing injury.
"I'd love for them to change the fence, obviously more students will do this [climb over it]. I haven't even gone into college yet. It ruined the start of my college experience. I'd hate it to happen to other people; it's a horrible thing. It was definitely traumatic.
"I was angry at the start but there is nothing I can do. I picture the finger, all the blood, I picture that a lot, and I worry about how it is going to be. I think about the different things I won't be able to do, like tie up my shoes and my hair. But then I tell myself I have to get through this, that it could have been much worse."
When asked for a comment on the injuries sustained by students accessing its property late at night, a University of Galway spokesperson told this newspaper that student safety is of paramount importance to the college.
"Out of respect to our students and their privacy, we don't comment on the context of any particular incident. We are, however, aware of an incident where a student was injured near our campus residences and our colleagues have been in contact with them to offer a range of supports.
"All other students who were aware of the incident have also been advised that they too can avail of supports via student services. A safety and security review of access around our student accommodation is under way."
The president of the University of Galway Students' Union, Dean Kenny, said its primary focus is the welfare and wellbeing of its students.
"We urge people to go through the proper procedure when having guests stay over in the on-campus student accommodation. We urge any students with concerns or queries to get in contact with us via email [email protected], and if you are struggling in any way please do reach out, we are here to help."
