Family, friends and colleagues, hello and thank you for taking the time to visit our togetherwecan event page. Our ambition in setting up this page is to raise funds and awareness for three wonderful charities that have made and continue to make an enormous impact on our lives. Like so many other mothers in this country, I looked forward to welcoming JC home after a few days. Because of medical c
omplications my son spent his first 6 months in hospital. While JC was born in Cork University Hospital he was immediately transferred to Temple street, where he remained for 3 long months. Naturally a trip to Dublin at this stage was not on my agenda but thanks to a kind nurse in CUH, on the night before I departed for Dublin gave me a mobile number of a lady called Ade Stack. The nurse told me that this lady might have a room where I could stay for a few nights while my son baby was having tests in Temple street.
3 nights turned into 3 months and this is where both myself and my partner stayed for that time; in 'Hugh's House' (named after Ade's son Hugh). We followed by car, our son in an ambulance from Cork to Dublin. When we arrived at Hugh's House we were exhausted. We were greeted by 'Robbie' who to this day has remained a dear friend of our family. I was in a strange kitchen but the kettle was on and unknown to myself I felt at ease and safe. For 3 months we stayed in Hugh's house, with other parents of sick children with very similar stories, in a room called the 'Fuchsia' room. The house is a distance of only a 5 minute walk from Temple street hospital, and so this meant we could be with our son every day. As you can imagine this period was extremely difficult for us but thanks to the wonderful care JC received in Temple street, and to Ade Stack for the wonder that is Hugh's House, we got through it. From Temple street JC was transferred to our local hospital in Tralee, Co. Kerry where he remained for another 3 months (while a nursing home care package was put in place for JC). In October 2016, now 6 months old, JC made his first journey home to Ballinskelligs. We are now home almost 11 months but because of our sons medical needs we must travel to Temple street at least once a month. I actually drove to Temple street for JC's first appointment, JC and his Dad in the back seat. A trip which should have taken about 5 hours took almost 9! It was instantly clear that driving was not going to be an option for our further appointment so I looked into travelling by train but I was anxious and fearful of JC picking up an infection and so thankfully came across a service called the 'Bumbulance'. This wonderful service, from our second appointment, has carried JC, his Dad and myself to and from Dublin. Because both myself and my partner are trained to care for our son we can thankfully travel without a paramedic. However the team at Bumbulance will arrange for a paramedic to assist you on your journey if the service is required. The Bumbulance have and continue to work around our appointment times and on most occasions have collected us from our home often in the morning at 4am and drop us back again the same evening. Yes, it is a long journey but the trip has been made so much easier when you can sit with your for the whole journey. The BUMBLEance also comes fitted with music, television, facilities which aim to make the journey as comfortable as possible. This charity was set up by a Cork man now living in Kerry, Tony Heffernan, because he wanted to provide a service to allow children from rural Ireland to travel to and from hospital with their families. This is my story, unique to me and my family, but is similiar to so many other families around the country. Because when children are very sick in this country they must go to either of the children's hospitals in this country which are in DUBLIN. There is now a waiting list of parents who want to stay in Hugh's House. Ade is continuously fundraising to increase the amount of room she can make available to families but this all costs money. Ade has since purchased a house next door to Hugh House so her hope is to keep more families in need of a place to stay while their loved ones are in hospital. The Bumbulance is constantly on the road and in high demand by families of very sick children. We need more of them to enable all sick children and their families to safely attend their hospital appointments. Every family in this country needs to know about these services. Without Hughs House and Bumbulance my journey as harrowing as it was would have been unbearable without the support of these wonderful charities. Special thank you to the OPW for permitting a special trip to be made to the Skelligs Rock in an effort to raise funds and awareness of three wonderful Irish charities. Thank you
Susan Walsh
