We need your help for Ireland’s First Children’s Hospice.
The 'LauraLynn Children's Hospice' Foundation was set up in 2001 as a result of an enormous personal tragedy in the lives of Jane and Brendan McKenna which saw them lose both of their precious daughters Laura and Lynn in the space of just two years.
We are very happy to announce that the first sod was turned on LauraLynn House at Children's Sunshine Home on 29th September 2009. We hope to open our doors in early 2011. We could not have reached this point without all our truly amazing supporters.
In Ireland there are over 1,400 children with life limiting and life threatening conditions, such as cerebral palsy, profound brain damage, meningitis, HIV and cancers. But aside from the work we do, there is a limited palliative care programme available through other agencies.
And with over 354 children's deaths a year in Ireland, we desperately need a children's hospice.
The Hospice or House as Jane prefers to call it, is about respite for the family as a whole. It is about putting:
For parents, it will give that much needed break - often as simple as a decent night's sleep. It will also support healthy siblings, who are very much left out, when a sick child needs 24 hour care. It will offer families a choice when the end comes and ongoing support for the family when the child has passed on, for as long as they choose, which is hugely important, as life can never be the same again. Home Care is also a huge part of the service, as is linking with other organisations working in similar areas.
It has been a long and, sometimes, challenging process to get this far but the unstinting help of so many people from every walk of life has been truly uplifting.
I intend to take some time out from fundraising - to rest a little and reflect on how I might contribute to LauraLynn House in the future.
Please contact Jane Flynn (jflynn@csh.ie) or Sarah Meagher (smeagher@csh.ie) at CSH (01 2893151) in relation to any fundraising issues.
Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continuing support.
Jane McKenna - Founder, LauraLynn
Mobile: 087-9773936
info@lauralynnhospice.com