Marymount plans following donation of almost half a million euro from Cork charity

Marymount University Hospital and Hospice has purchased new state-of-the-art mattresses for its patients and is progressing plans for a remembrance garden following a donation of €487,000 from a Cork charity on its retirement.

Glanmire-based Friends of Leukaemia Patients Cork is a registered charity that was originally founded over 35 years ago by Imelda and John Reynolds.

Its mission and ethos was to provide practical support to leukaemia patients and their families across the Munster area.

The charity has been run completely on a voluntary basis since it was founded.

On retirement of the charity and its committee, its benefactors and supporters agreed unanimously to donate the proceeds of the remaining funds to Marymount to support two vital projects.

The first project has enabled Marymount to purchase new state-of-the-art profiling beds and pressure relieving mattresses to replace its older ones.

These beds and mattresses enhance the comfort and care of Marymount’s patients.

Marymount has also purchased double sized mattresses “for couples that need to share when time is so precious”.

Dubbed ‘cuddle beds’, Marymount says these beds have been “invaluable to families”.

The second project is a remembrance garden, which Marymount says will enhance the quality of life for its patients and their families immensely.

Friends of Leukaemia Patients Cork felt these projects were both “real and tangible” and in contributing to these it provides an “opportunity to leave behind a legacy in recognition of all those supporters, benefactors, committee members who worked tirelessly over the last 30 years”.

The charity and its committee at retirement is Imelda Reynolds, John Reynolds, Mary Sexton, Pat Barrett, Derek Nagle, Patsy O’Mahony, Paschal Scott, Liam Huggins, and patron Ger Power.

In a statement, Marymount said the committee “has been devoted to such important causes that always put the patient at the centre” and described their generosity as “immeasurable”.

Marymount also thanked the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher for his recent visit in recognition of the donation from Friends of Leukaemia Patients Cork.