Chris Sewell is asking for donations to help with daily costs

11:01, 15 Sep 2026Updated 13:38, 17 Sep 2026

Chris recovering after surgery

Chris Sewell used to go to the Mercy Hospital ever day, working as a security guard – but after he went into A&E with a terrible headache in late 2024, everything changed.

A visit to Cork University Hospital confirmed the terrifying truth: northside man Chris, then 34, was suffering from a brain haemorrhage. Since October 2024, Chris has endured three brain surgeries, as well as a clot-removal operation on his leg. Now the former security guard has set up a fundraiser to help with the costs of daily life as he recovers.

Chris, whose partner was pregnant with his second child at the time of his initial haemorrhage, told CorkBeo about the ongoing impact of his medical emergencies.

“My memory has been badly affected. There are people I’ve known for the last six or seven years, and I’m forgetting names. My speech is bad too sometimes. I forget words, and my patience is gone.”

As well as the subarachnoid haemorrhage, Chris also suffered an aneurysm, which a neurosurgeon explained affected a “communicating artery” in his brain, leading to the effects on his memory and vocabulary.

Chris was also learning to drive when the haemorrhage struck in 2024, but says that he’d no longer be comfortable getting behind the wheel – and that he’s been forced to take time off work to recover: “My confidence is knocked. I have to avoid stress at all costs and avoid heavy lifting. When I get stressed or stressed, my blood pressure rises, and I feel migraine starting.

“Headaches freak me out. I worry, is it happening again?”

Launching his GoFundMe, which you can donate to here, Chris explained: “I’m out of work for a while, so I’m struggling to get by I have bills mounting up and responsibilities to take care of. I normally wouldn’t ask but I’m really struggling. Any help would be very much appreciated.”

Sign up here for our daily newsletter and get breaking news and top stories from Cork Beo direct to your inbox