Rugby legend and beauty queen back Cork children's hospital fundraiser

MEMBERS of the public are invited to leave their mark on Cork’s new children’s hospital through a fundraising initiative generating vital funds for the project.

The idea, launched by the CUH Charity, offers people the chance to have their names on the wall - with funds being used to furnish the five-storey, state-of-the-art facility.

Miss Cork Saoirse O’Shaughnessy and Munster and Irish Rugby star Peter O’Mahony were on hand to launch the fundraiser with young CUH patients after it was given the green light by council planners.

The new paediatric unit will have sleeping areas for parents and carers in each of its 82 rooms.

Peter O’Mahony spoke of what the new development will mean for the families of patients.

“There will be room for parents to be with their children at times of need, so it is going to be an incredible facility,” the 32 year old said.

“It is unbelievably important for Cork, the Munster region and Ireland in general.” 

The project is also close to the heart of Miss Ireland 2022 finalist Saoirse O’Shaughnessy, who is a healthcare assistant in the hospital’s emergency medicine department.

“It is so much better for a child from Cork to be treated in Cork, financially and emotionally, rather than go all the way to Dublin,” she said.

“Every child deserves to have the best childhood. You never know when you are going to need the services provided by the new hospital.” 

When completed, the unit will also include child friendly operating theatres, children’s MRI technology as well as specialist rooms for oncology and high-dependency patients.

Marie Watson, a Clinical Nurse Manager at CUH’s children’s unit said the planning green light is “hugely significant”.

“It is a huge step on the right road to developing the children’s unit into what the kids of Cork and Munster deserve, which is going to be second-to-none accommodation, matching what they have already - second-to-none nursing and medical care,” she added.

Claire Concannon of the CUH Charity added that the new extension, along with the current construction of the children’s emergency department, will “lead to a smoother journey for children and their families though our healthcare system”.

The campaign has so far raised more than €37,000 in donations from the public. Bricks are priced at €50 each, and can be bought at: https://cuh.buyabrick.ie/