On the evening of Friday 16th June 2023 the lives of a newly married couple from Golborne were changed forever.

A blaze broke out in their family home leading to catastrophic damage and injuries.

Luckily all members of the family, with the help of their neighbours, were able to exit the property without any fatalities.

However, Mum of 2, and Step mum of 2 Emma Cowell (43) suffered horrific burns to over 40% of her body.

Emma is currently under going treatment in Whiston hospital’s Burns Unit, and expects to be an in-patient for at least the next 2 months pending treatments, operations, and skin grafts.

Emma who herself is a nurse has been informed that it will be an extremely long road to recovery; physically,at least 12 months.

This prognosis without mentioning the mental trauma that she and her brave family are enduring is hard to comprehend.

Due to the nature of her injuries Emma will not be able to practice nursing in the interim, and her husband Andy Cowell will need to take an extended period of time off work to help care for Emma.

The family will need to be re homed for the next 12 months due to not only the fire damage to the house including a full re build of down stairs, but to accommodate Emma’s rehabilitation following her injuries.

Although they are covered by insurance for the damage to their home, they will have no income for the foreseeable future, but more importantly, they will need to equip the temporary accommodation with several modifications to enable Emma to return ‘home’ once she is discharged.

Emma sustained 2nd, 3rd and 4th degree burns to the entirety of her back, as well as both legs.

She will likely need skin grafts and at the moment is enduring excruciating bathing and skin scrubbing as part of her daily routine, and will likely need a wheel chair until she is fully recovered.

The house will need to be fitted with a stair lift, rising bed and furniture, as well as fixtures and fittings to allow Emma some degree of minimal independence as she recovers.

She will also need around the clock care/assistance on an on going basis.

Many of you reading this tragic event will want to help in some way, especially those of you that know Andy, Emma and their family personally, so we have set up this giving page to try and relieve some of the financial pressure that the medical equipment and assistance may put on this family, in the hope that it can all be set up ready for Emma being discharged.

We know that times are extremely hard for everyone, but the smallest of donation would be appreciated.