Mullingar nurse pleads for local support for Jack and Jill fundraiser
A Mullingar nurse is urging people to throw their weight behind a fundraiser organised by the charity she works for, which is currently supporting eight families in Westmeath.
Sinéad Moran works as a specialist children’s liaison nurse manager with the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, which is asking people to support local and donate local by going ‘Up the Hill for Jack & Jill’ in October.
Across the country, Jack & Jill has a crew of 700 nurses and carers to support parents who are looking after their children at home, around the clock.
Funds raised through the October appeal will go towards the home nursing care of children with complex medical and life-limiting conditions, including eight children in Westmeath.
The fundraiser is part of an SOS appeal under way to fill a €200,000 funding gap and to extend the age range of children supported by the charity from five to six years of age.
According to Sinéad, Jack & Jill’s frontline home nursing care and end-of-life care is more important than ever, given the lack of respite options in the community for the children it supports.
This year’s ‘Up the Hill for Jack & Jill’ will be different to previous years’ versions of the event. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there are no big hill events; instead, participants should keep challenges small, safe and local. People can walk, skip, jog, cycle or climb a hill. Some will climb the stairs and count their steps at work throughout the month – the most important thing is to observe public health advice at all times.
People can register at www.jackandjill.ie for €16, which funds one hour of home nursing care and end-of-life care. No sponsorship card is required.
“Every €16 raised will make a real difference to the family of a child being cared for,” says Sinéad. “Every day our families have their own hill to climb at home. With ‘Up the Hill for Jack and Jill’, we are asking people to physically climb a hill in solidarity with those who can’t.
“It’s about neighbour helping neighbour, friend helping friend, and that community support means so much to our families and our nurses.
“It’s simple to get involved, and the hill you climb can be whatever you want it to be – a gentle slope, a mountain peak, or a simple walk with a friend. We are determined that this is one fundraising event that Covid-19 won’t flatten!”
Sinéad says every person taking part contributes the cost of one hour of home nursing care: “That one hour, along with all the other hours funded, makes a huge difference to the lives of the families who receive ongoing support from Jack & Jill nurses.”
Jack & Jill support is not just for a week or a weekend, but a vital and ongoing connection throughout the child’s early years, and the charity provides an average of 40 hours’ support a month to 362 children nationwide, increasing to 80 hours for end-of-life support.
This encompasses a range of tasks as per the child’s unique needs, and may include peg feeding, monitoring of vital signs and medication management. The service operates seven days a week, with no waiting list.
Carmel Doyle, CEO of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, says that despite the challenges of Covid-19, the charity is determined to extend the age range of children it supports from birth to six years of age, up from five years of age currently.
“We have started to roll this out by way of a pilot scheme and are committed to continuing this into 2021. Our families rely on our support now more than ever. So, we are asking people to support local and donate local and to help us climb this hill together.”
For more information on the work of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, visit www.jackandjill.ie.
The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation can also be found on Instagram @jackandjillcf, on Twitter @jackandjillcf, and on Facebook @jackandjillfoundation. The campaign hashtag is #UpTheHill2020