‘Believe and achieve’: Monica’s formula for success during lockdown

Mullingar girl Monica O’Gorman’s motto is “believe and achieve”.

When Covid arrived in March of last year, all of her courses, work and hobbies transferred to Zoom. However, Monica wholeheartedly engaged with online work.

Monica is a keen athlete. However, due to current restrictions, all training at her local Shoot ’n’ Stars Special Olympics club is on hold.

Undeterred by this, Monica walked an average of 7k every day and continued to practice her favourite sport, basketball. She won three virtual Special Olympics awards last year, and has already won two more in 2021.

Monica has taken on a lot of challenges during the pandemic, and has raised over €1,500 for Down Syndrome Ireland and Special Olympics Ireland. She won first prize in art last Christmas for the best Christmas card, which was used as the official Down Syndrome Ireland Christmas eCard.

Monica was also one of the participants in the ‘Lockdown Acapella – Caravan of Love’ song featuring Bressie, the Blizzards and other artists last Christmas.

She has shown exceptional motivation and has kept up her positive spirit and enthusiasm during the last year. Now that restrictions are lifting and all is beginning to return to some normality, Monica hopes that her basketball training will be up and running, and can’t wait for the challenge of the 2022 Special Olympics Ireland Games.