Galway Cycle 2015 Charity Voting
Galway Cycle President
1. Make a Wish
2. Cliona’s Foundation
3. Don Bosco Care
4. Friends of the Coombe
5. Irish Guide Dogs for the for the blind (Assistance dog Programme)
6. Barretstown
7. Lauralynn
8. Saoirse (BUMBLEance)
9. Childhood Cancer Foundation
10. Join Our Boys – Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
11. ACT for meningitis
12. Irish Youth Foundation
13. Children’s Medical and Research Foundation
14. Anam Cara
15. Sensational kids
Name: Make a Wish
“We were overwhelmed with emotions during our trip - happiness, contentment, sometimes tinged with bitter-sweet sadness. This was much more than a trip to Disneyland to meet all Órán's favourite characters, it was the making of a box of memories in our minds and hearts to keep forever when Órán's conditions worsens further and the unthinkable happens. We, as his parents, will treasure this beautiful happy time for the rest of our lives, when we watched our three beautiful children all together, doing the normal things that a healthy, happy family should do, not overshadowed by those burdens and dread that a terminal diagnosis for our beautiful Órán, fills us with each and every day. You and all those who work for the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job for so many sick children and the organisation for us, symbolises a gift given to a family at a time of huge sadness, which will remain with them long after it has been given. The work done by the Foundation is priceless and timeless.
We can only remember you all with thanks in prayers and will encourage all those we meet to give what they can to The Make-A-Wish-Foundation.”
~Órán’s Mum
With current funding, we can only grant 150 wishes, like Órán’s, this year. With a steady stream of incoming wish applications, we will have over 200 children waiting patiently for their wish to be granted at the start of 2015. Some of our wish children do not have time to wait. It is critical that we reduce this list in 2015 and raise the money required to grant their wishes. The support of the Galway Cycle would be transformational for the charity and our wish families.
Please vote for Make-A-Wish for the Galway Cycle 2015. It’s people like you who make wishes come true.
Name: Cliona’s Foundation
Cliona’s Foundation provides financial assistance to families who have children undergoing long-term medical treatment for critical illness.
The ordeal of a child’s grave illness or injury tests families far beyond their endurance, taking an enormous toll financially, emotionally and physically. While Cliona’s Foundation cannot cure a child, we want to help them cope and soften their heartbreaking journey, by providing financial assistance to families, who have exhausted all other resources. The Foundation believes that no family should have to face any added financial stress when they are already struggling to cope with the devastation and trauma of a critically ill child.
There is currently over one hundred children’s charities operating in Ireland, Cliona’s Foundation is unique in that it focuses completely on non-medical assistance for families who have exhausted all other avenues of help.
Website: www.clionasfoundation.ie
I would like to nominate the Don Bosco Care charity to be the Galway cycle charity for 2015.
This web site is under construction so you may find more information from their facebook page www.facebook.com/donboscocare
Name: Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital
The Coombe WIUH Neonatal ICU cares for 120-150 very premature babies every year, born weighing from 400 to 1500 grammes, from all over Ireland. Many babies who would not have survived a decade ago are not only going home but also their quality of life is steadily improving.
Their main challenge is lung immaturity. Our aim is always to manage for today and think of tomorrow, so that baby's lungs get the best chance to develope without chronic lung injury.
We wish to acquire a new Accutronic ventilator(cost 27,000 Euro) giving optimal individualised lung support to enable these babies to have the best quality of life in later childhood and as adults and a Transport incubator(cost 50,000 Euro) This incubator moves seamlessly from vehicle to vehicle – by helicopter or ambulance. It is the best mobile intensive care we could offer our most vulnerable babies whether they travel internally in the Hospital, or further afield around the country.
Website: www.friendsofthecoombe.ie
Charity: Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (Assistance Dog Programme)
Main Website: www.guidedogs.ie
Details of Assistance Dog Programme: www.guidedogs.ie/iopen24/assistance-dogs-t-3_9.html
Description:
Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is a National Charity whose services include the Assistance Dog programme for children with Autism or Asperger’s.
Assistance Dogs help to control and improve the behaviour of a child by promoting calmness and acting as a safety aid to the parent. The Assistance Dog acts as a constant companion and can enhance the child’s social skills and interaction with their family and peers. Other benefits include greater aptitude towards learning and improved confidence and independence. Families enjoy greater freedom and mobility with an Assistance Dog in tow.
170 families are on our waiting list and some may have to wait up to 3½ years for a dog. 80% of funding comes through fundraising.
I wish to nominate the Irish Guide Dogs to provide assistance dogs for children with autism. They have a 3 to 5 year waiting time for the provision of assistance dogs to children due to shortage of funds.
Name: Barretstown
Barretstown is a specially-designed camp that provides Therapeutic Recreation programmes for children with cancer and other serious illnesses, and their families. Barretstown celebrates its 20th anniversary this year since it was founded by Hollywood actor Paul Newman in 1994. Excellent, unobtrusive medical supervision helps children forget their illness for a short while, learn to have fun and rebuild their confidence and self-esteem. Our programmes take place all within the beautiful and magical setting of Barretstown castle in the Kildare countryside. Barretstown is a break from hospitals and is like chemo for the soul, it involves participating in exciting challenges (like horseriding, canoeing, fishing, drama and music) achieving unimaginable success and discovering that it is still possible to have a lot of fun despite their illness.
Website address - www.barretstown.org
Name: LauraLynn
LauraLynn is Ireland’s only Children’s Hospice. We care for families from all over Ireland providing respite, end-of-life and home care to children with life limiting conditions.
We provide:
• Respite
• Home Support
• Transitional care between hospital and home
• End-of-life Care Family Bereavement Support
• Family & Sibling Camps.
With no Government funding for our Hospice services, we need to raise €2.1 every year to run LauraLynn House.
Name: SAOIRSE (BUMBLEance)
Description: The BUMBLEance is the only ambulance service dedicated to children, not only in Ireland but in the world. The brainchild of Tony and Mary Heffernan whose children were born with a rare genetic disorder known as Battens disease, the service makes things easier for parents and less stressful for critically ill children to get to critical hospital appointments from around the country. Not only does it do this but it gives dignity to children making their final journey before they leave this earth.
The ambulance is fully kitted out like a normal ambulance but with all the medical stuff "hidden" from sight of children. It contains entertainment equipment such as a TV and games console to the simple things such as a colouring book to occupy them from what is going on around them and to put at ease parents.
Website: http://http://www.bumbleance.com/
Name: Childhood Cancer Foundation
www.childhoodcancer.ie
Judith Sibley gave me your details to ask you to consider Childhood
Cancer Foundation as the nominated charity for the Galway Cycle 2015.
I am including details about the charity and hope that you will be
successful in your nomination.
Childhood Cancer Foundation launched on 15 February, International
Childhood Cancer Day, 2014 with a balloon release in Russborough
House, County Wicklow attended by many families affected by childhood
cancer. The website www.childhoodcancer.ie was launched on the same
day. The Childhood Cancer Foundation comprises of family members of
children affected by different childhood cancers. The group initially
came together to organise the Light It Up Gold campaign in September
2013. This campaign was very successful and received significant
positive feedback from families of children affected by childhood
cancer and from adult survivors of childhood cancer. The group
decided to formalise its structure in order to achieve specific goals.
Childhood Cancer Foundation (CCF) has recently received charitable
status from the Revenue with the objective of raising awareness of
childhood cancer and supporting education and research projects.
Everyone involved in CCF works on a voluntary basis.
Specialist Paediatric Palliative Care Team
The Specialist Paediatric Palliative Care Team based in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin, is involved in the holistic care of children with life-limiting conditions throughout the Republic of Ireland. These children will not survive into adulthood and often have complex medical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. A significant part of our role is facilitating the prompt, safe and smooth transition home of these children and their families, especially at end-of-life. We have an extensive role also in supporting the many teams, hospital and community based, involved in caring for these children during their palliative journey. This includes providing expertise in symptom management, ethical decision making, family and bereavement support and debriefing of staff. Ongoing research and education in the field of children’s palliative care is a core element of our role.
Name: Join Our Boys:- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
Details
• (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disease that destroys muscle tissue and it is currently fatal.
• It is the most common, lethal genetic disorder diagnosed during early childhood.
• One in every 3,500 baby boys are born with DMD worldwide.
• 20,000 children are diagnosed with this horrific disease annually, in the developed world.
• There is no treatment or cure at present.
• In The Republic of Ireland, at this time there are known to be approximately 110 people living with DMD; the majority of these are under 18 years of age.
Website: http://joinourboys.org/
Name: ACT for Meningitis
ACT for Meningitis was set up in Galway in 2012 by Siobhan and Noel Carroll after losing their precious daughter Aoibhe, aged 4, to Meningitis. They felt a strong need to create greater awareness of the signs and symptoms and to support families and individuals affected by this life changing disease.
Do you know anyone of any age can get Meningitis? One in ten people will tragically die and one in five will be left with severe after affects. Ireland has the highest incidence of Meningitis B in Europe. Knowing the signs and symptoms of Meningitis may just save a life.
In just three years, ACT has grown to become the only charity to offer free
support services such as counselling, play-therapies and home visits to anyone
in Ireland who has been affected by Meningitis, whether through bereavement or
living with the after-affects. We also give free awareness talks in schools,
colleges, and clubs all over Ireland, distribute hundreds of Awareness Cards
every month and run several Annual Awareness Campaigns.
We do not receive any government funding and therefore
completely rely on fundraising events to continue to reach out to these
communities, families and individuals who now depend on us for support,
awareness and education. We are a small but extremely hard working team
and always give as much support as we possibly can to any event we are involved
in. Please find below a short reference from one of our charity partners
which I hope will further show us as a dedicated charity to work with on your
event.
"Working with Act for Meningitis, their team spirit and dedication to raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of Meningitis in Ireland is admirable. We can see how Act for Meningitis make a direct difference to the lives of those affected by meningitis and are proud to be part of the team". Revive Active Products
Name: Irish Youth Foundation
There are over 1.2 million children living in Ireland today. Thankfully, most have happy and successful childhoods, but many others don’t.
Ø 1 in 5 live in poverty;
Ø 1,000 children don’t make the transition from primary to secondary school each year;
Ø 9,000 students leave school before sitting their Leaving Cert;
Ø An estimated 104,000 children under 15 are living with parents who misuse alcohol;
Ø Youth unemployment is now at 30%.
These are the vulnerable children the Irish Youth Foundation seeks to help.
How we make a difference
We provide financial support to local community and voluntary youth groups working with at-risk and disadvantaged children, such as afterschool and homework clubs, summer programmes, sporting clubs and education projects. These groups provide safe places where children can go after school – to grow, to learn and to play. For children who often experience poverty, parental misuse of drugs, and alcohol, crime and mental health issues, these projects are beacons of hope which enhance and improve their lives.
The INDY Bike Project
The INDY (Inner City Dublin Youth) Bikes engages children
and young people from the Parnell Square area into the world of bikes and
cycling by teaching them to do bike repairs and maintenance, building new bikes
from old frames as well as learning about the fitness, health and environmental
benefits of cycling.
The programme has proved to have a very positive effect on the young people who
complete it with evidence of increased levels of confidence, team-work and
social responsibility and with the increase in bike ownership and bike shops
around the country, it also gives them a concrete skill to help find
employment.
If we were the chosen charity for Galway Cycle 2015, the INDY Bike Project would be further developed and expanded to other locations around Ireland.
Website: www.iyf.ie
Name: Children’s Medical & Research Foundation (CMRF)
When a child you love is sick, your top priority is finding the best care available. It’s ours too. At the Children’s Medical & Research Foundation, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, our team has one simple mission – helping kids and their families.
The Children’s Medical & Research Foundation (CMRF) is the principal fundraising body for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin as well as the National Children’s Research Centre and is dedicated to working to improve the quality of life for this and future generations of sick children. We play a key role in supporting the hospital to deliver state of the art facilities; equipment, infrastructure, leisure and entertainment devices for the children, accommodation for families and other special requirements and needs. In addition we fund vital paediatric research and have been able to establish the National Children’s Research Centre (NCRC), a world class facility which provides state of the art laboratory facilities for investigation into the causes and treatments of childhood disease.
Name: Anam Cara
Anam Cara is a national organisation providing a lifeline to bereaved parents through online and face to face Peer Support services. Their mission statement explains that Anam Cara will make a difference and reduce isolation for bereaved families affected by the death of a child or children, regardless of the age of the child or circumstances of death. Anam Cara will do this by providing easily accessible, quality support services, signposting and information through a safe and secure online or face to face environments.
Approximately 2,500 families each year experience the death of a child between ages of 0 – 44 years. Sudden deaths, outside a hospital or hospice system often find themselves outside the realms of any bereavement support. The intense grief can last longer than society realises. Anam Caraprovides an important link to information and additional services.
Anam Cara http://anamcara.ie
Name: Sensational kids
Sensational Kids is a Kildare based children’s charity that helps children of all abilities to maximise their potential through significantly subsidised child development services. We receive no government funding and rely on donations to help fund our services for children. To date we have helped over 2,250 children of all abilities from all over Ireland and we help an average of 180 children every month to develop their skills.
Galway Cycle President 2013/14
Andrew Garrad,
pres...@galwaycycle.ie
083 3860638
www.galwaycycle.ie
www.pwsai.ie