Caroline McGrane won't be able to take part in the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon this year, but she will be cheering on friends and family who are fundraising and taking part on her behalf.

Caroline’s friends are fundraising for her to make a trip to Australia for surgery. 

Caroline became an above knee amputee in 2018 after numerous knee surgeries and repeated infections over the course of 14 years. Unfortunately due to complications the various options for prosthetic legs available to her in Ireland didn’t work out, and Caroline need to travel to Australia for a specialised surgical procedure called osseointegration. In this procedure a metal rod is inserted into her leg bone protruding out through the skin and a prosthetic leg is the attached directly to the metal rod.

Unfortunately, there aren't any surgeons doing this type of operation in Ireland so Caroline and her team are taking part in several events including the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon to help raise €120,000 to fund this trip.  

Caroline’s friends have already raised nearly €35,000 but have a way to go.

Caroline’s good friend Sharon helped to put #TeamCarolinesDream together, a group of women who will take part in the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon. So far, they have 12 wonderful women taking part to fundraise for Caroline’s journey and surgery costs. 

“There is a beautiful park across the road from us here in Lucan and when I was recovering from getting my leg amputated. I would be sitting at the window looking out and envying those people walking in the park, with their dog or their partners.  

I hope that thanks to the amazing women that are doing the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon this year on my behalf that one day soon I’ll be able to walk in the park myself. It is my dream that hopefully next year I’ll have two legs and be able to walk again and take part in the Women's Mini Marathon with my friends and family” 

If you want to join #CarolinesDream Team, this year you can find them on Facebook or you can donate to their campaign here