Children’s Health Foundation calls on people across Ireland to 'Dare to be Brave' for sick children
Children’s Health Foundation is calling on us all to be brave this year, by taking part in their ‘Dare to be Brave’ adventure series, which will raise vital funds to support sick children and their families in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght, and Connolly.
Cork native and CHI at Crumlin patient, Patrick Donohoe was on hand, with his brothers James, Sean and Michael, to launch this exciting series of adrenaline-inducing events, which includes a 13,000ft skydive, abseil from Croke Park’s iconic Hogan Stand, a 24-hour wilderness survival challenge and “Hell & Back”.
Patrick was born in 2021 with an underlying heart condition that required open-heart surgery in the first six months of his life. Patrick parents’, Michelle and Brian, journey with Crumlin started well before his arrival and by the time that Patrick was born, they had met his cardiologist, Dr. Orla Franklin and her team a number of times. The nursing specialist had arranged for the family to visit Crumlin before Patrick’s birth, allowing them to get to know the hospital and in particular the Heart Centre, where they would be spending time over the coming months.
The Donohoe’s made their first trip to CHI at Crumlin when Patrick was just shy of four-weeks-old. After that first visit, they had weekly calls with his team and monthly visits to meet his cardiologist in Crumlin until they got the call to bring Patrick for his surgery when he was nearly four months old. Patrick had his open-heart surgery in Crumlin on the 24th May 2021 and after a short stay, was enroute back to Cork to his big brothers James, Sean and Michael. Thankfully Patrick hasn’t looked back since his surgery!
The bravery Patrick and his family showed was incredible and that’s why Children’s Health Foundation is daring you to be brave this summer to raise vital, life-saving funds for more children like Patrick.
The events will take place between June and September 2023, and will provide participants with exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experiences:
- June 29th & 30th – Skydive Challenge – Edenderry, Co. Offaly
- July 14th – 24 Hour Wilderness Survival Challenge – Glendalough, Co. Wicklow
- August 25th & September 16th – Croke Park Abseil Challenge – Croke Park, Dublin 1
- September 30th – Hell & Back – Kilruddery House, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Participants can sign-up to take part in all challenges, or they can choose which of the challenges they want to take on throughout the summer. Additionally, people can take on the challenges by themselves, or they can take part as a member of a team. Why not dare your friends or colleagues to be brave with you?
Each year, hundreds of thousands of sick children cross the doors of CHI hospitals and urgent care centres at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght, and Connolly. For these children, the hospital can be a scary place, especially when they are unwell. Every day, the children in CHI hospitals and urgent care centres summon an incredible amount of bravery and Children’s Health Foundation is committed to supporting them and the hospitals and urgent care centres to continue their vital and life-saving work.
Hugh Kane, Interim Chief Executive at Children’s Health Foundation said, “Taking part in our ‘Dare to be Brave’ adventure series is a fantastic way to raise funds for sick children, whilst enjoying unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We see brave children every day receive treatment in CHI hospitals and urgent care centres. By daring to be brave and taking part in this campaign, you will be supporting sick children, and I have no doubt your bravery will help save lives.”
For more information, visit www.childrenshealth.ie/daretobebrave or email daretobebrave@childrenshealth.ie.