Drama surrounding girl scout

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Magdalena is an enthusiastic girl scout. Now the 14-year-old needs a lot of help: Chairwoman Gabriele Doppler and group leader Barbara Kloiber are asking for donations for the family.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/zVg)

"She is currently fighting to be able to swallow and speak again," says Anna Lehmerhofer from Lower Austria about the condition of her 14-year-old daughter. A 14-year-old has been confined to a hospital bed for several months. Now her scout group wants to support the family.

In October, severe bronchitis turned into pneumonia in Magdalena from the municipality of Jaidhof near Gföhl in the district of Krems. Treated by the pediatrician, she seemed to be feeling better the next day and was able to breathe more deeply again.

"Suddenly couldn't walk anymore"
"During the night, our daughter suddenly developed a fever of 40 degrees. A little later, she could no longer walk, then she couldn't even swallow!" says mother Anna, describing the dramatic hours and the journey to the hospital in Zwettl. Initial medical optimism ended there at the latest with the emergency doctor's trip to SMZ-Ost in Vienna and the diagnosis of encephalitis. The encephalitis had spread aggressively - Magdalena had to be put into a deep sleep for five weeks.

Condition close to a vegetative state
After 66 days in the children's intensive care unit, the 14-year-old was admitted to the Favoriten rehabilitation clinic. Since then, however, her condition has differed only marginally from a vegetative state: she is paralyzed from the neck down, breathes through a tracheotomy and cannot swallow or speak because of the apparatus. Magdalena is now back at home. A ramp has been built, and because of her new care room, her brothers (17 and 11) now have to share a room.

Major financial challenges
Weakened by serious illness herself, her mother works part-time as a primary school teacher. Father Reinhard would like to take care leave. The family faces major financial challenges due to the many deductibles, renovations and therapies.

Magdalena's scout group, in which she has been actively involved since childhood, is also aware of this. "We are shocked and deeply saddened and want to accompany Magdalena and her family on this difficult path," says chairwoman Gabriele Doppler, asking for donations for Magdalena to the account set up: 

Reference: "Spendenaktion Magdalena"
Donation account of the Gföhl scout group: AT 1847 1501 1939 470000