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Published on: Simon Stories

Shauna’s Story

“I’ve had too many low points at Christmas.
Ending up in hospital on New Year’s Day
is probably one of my worst memories.”
Shauna, 23*

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Shauna is looking forward to Christmas for the first time in years.

She will be spending Christmas in Galway Simon Community’s women’s service. This house is home to 5 women who have turned to us with nowhere else to go.

Shauna moved to our house from emergency accommodation in Galway earlier this year and she’ll stay there until she’s ready to move on to a safe and secure home of her own.

If you met Shauna, you’d find it hard to believe that she has endured bereavement, addiction, domestic abuse and homelessness. She’s just 23 years old and she recently started college, doing a course to become a beautician.

Her mam’s death when she was just 16 years old had a terrible effect on her. Shauna explains the impact it had on her:

“When mam died, everything changed. I started getting out of control, drinking, staying out late at night. And I eventually tried drugs too. I wasn’t really sure what I was doing, I was all over the place. After that my life just spiralled out of control”

Shauna’s life unravelled after her mother died. She spent years moving between emergency accommodation and rehab programmes as she battled drug addiction and tried to get her life back on track. She became involved in some bad relationships and unfortunately suffered domestic abuse.

Moving to Galway Simon’s women’s service was a turning point for Shauna. At the house, she has support from a keyworker and access to counselling services for as long as she needs to get her life back on track. Shauna has made fantastic progress in a matter of months. She’s a healthy young woman growing in confidence and she’s working hard to make her dream of becoming a beautician a reality.

Shauna’s excited about spending Christmas in Galway Simon’s house. After many lonely and desolate Christmases, she’s now gained her strength both physically and emotionally and at just 23, she has so much to look forward to in the future.

Please make a donation to Galway Simon to help us provide the support and stability that someone like Shauna needs to turn their life around.

*The image and name used in this piece are not real but the story is very true.Donate Now