Children's hospice is launched in Mayo
Virgin Media's 'Ireland AM' television show was in Castlebar last Monday, November 17, for the launch of the new children's hospice fundraising campaign. Pictured, from left, are: Chuck Dunford, who gave a powerful presentation on the impact of losing a child to cancer; presenter Deric Hartigan and Martina Jennings, CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice.
A capacity crowd of over 400 people attended at the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar last week for the official launch of the Sunflower Children’s Hospice Mayo.
Special guest, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, confirmed that a site in the county town has been selected for the facility, which should be up and running by 2028.
A line-up of guest speakers took to the stage to celebrate the big news of the first ever hospice dedicated to children being set up outside of Dublin, during an hour-long presentation that included a video of a Mayo family who lost a child to a terminal illness as well as a video virtual tour of the planned state-of-the-art facility by O’Neill O’Malley architects. Proceedings came to an end with a solo violin performance of a new theme tune for the Sunflower Hospice, created by one of Ireland’s best known composers, Odhran Ó Cáisaide.
Mayo Roscommon Hospice (MRH) is funding the new children’s hospice and its CEO Martina Jennings paid special tribute to Minister Dara Calleary at the launch, saying the securing of the children’s hospice in Castlebar could never have happened without him.
Ms Jennings stressed how vital such a facility is for the West of Ireland, stating there are at least 90 families in Mayo and Roscommon alone in need of support for children and young adults with life-limiting illnesses.
“This will be more than a building, it will also be a home and place families can find light in, even in their darkest moments.”
Welcoming the official seal of approval for the project, Ms Jennings outlined that estimated costs for the facility stand at €14 million, with almost €7 million already raised by Mayo Roscommon Hospice.
Officially launching the next phase of the fundraising drive to cover the full cost, she paid tribute to the wonderful Mayo community that had helped build Mayo Roscommon Hospice and said she knew she could count on their support in this worthy new venture for the families and their children in need.
A video then shown to the capacity crowd featured the sad journey of parents Chuck and Mairead Dunford as they detailed trips over and back to Dublin made with their terminally ill son Kevin, who died at the age of eight back in 2014. Outlining the despair the family often felt at not being able to avail of palliative care closer to home, Mr Dunford said: “Palliative care is something that strikes fear in people when they hear of it, but it is actually a wonderful thing and this children’s hospice will make a huge difference to families here."
The Dunford family received a standing ovation, led by the Minister for Health who said: “The Sunflower Hospice will be the first hospice outside of Dublin for children and will make a really important contribution to the community and to families across Mayo and the whole region. No family wants to be on this journey of having a child with a terminal illness, but at least with this it will be a journey closer to home.”
The minister praised Mayo Roscommon Hospice and the HSE for working together on the project and also welcomed the cross-party support from local public representatives and Oireachtas members.
At a press conference after the launch, the minister was asked why local fundraising and not government is required to raise the €7 million costs. She replied that the budget disbursement in the Department of Health revolved around a constant question as to how best to distribute the available resources, adding: ”There is currently an ask for major capital development in Mayo University Hospital; we’re building 75 new beds in Ballina and staffing the local injury unit.
"I would love to have the money to do absolutely everything everywhere but I have a finite amount to distribute as best I can.”
She added that there had always been really good collaboration in the health service with local communities and that this was a way to "amplify" what each other can do.
“We have seen that work with Mayo Roscommon Hospice so well and the staffing for the children’s hospice will of course be state staffing of public servants for this facility, as is already the case at Mayo Roscommon Hospice.”
Telling those gathered how thrilled she was to be in Castlebar on such an emotional day for the important milestone of launching the next phase of fundraising for the new hospice, she thanked all partners to the venture for all their work to date, including Mayo County Council, the HSE, the Department of Health, public representatives, and the community who have done so much already to support Mayo Roscommon Hospice.
