A COVID-19 Update From The Jack & Jill Team

When Matthew was only 10 days old, his parents Eilish and John faced a devastating reality. Matthew had an inoperable heart condition and had four weeks to live.

Read Matthew's Story

Meet Matthew Begley from Wexford

No Care Like Home Care

We Give Our Families 'The Gift of Time'

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JACK AND JILL

support over 400 local families in Ireland by
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Supporting Jack & Jill Families During COVID-19

412 children and families under our wing nationwide

82% of families receiving home nursing support * November 2021

Essential visits and over the phone support for cocooning families continues

Every €18 raised funds one hour of home nursing care via donation direct to family model

Over 94,000 hours of home nursing care funded and delivered in 2020, despite COVID-19

223 new referrals from March 2020 to December 2021

Our Story

The Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation was born arising from Jonathan Irwin’s and Mary Ann O’ Brien’s own difficult care journey when their son Jack suffered permanent brain damage soon after birth, leaving him with severe disabilities and in need of round-the-clock care.

Thanks to the help of a team of local nurses and friends who rallied around, they were able to look after Jack at home until he passed away on 13th December 1997 aged 22 months, just short of his second birthday. Jack’s home nursing care regime would become the blueprint for the Jack & Jill model of care that we know today and which has since helped more than 2,600 families to care for their children at home, where they belong, supported by specially-trained nurses and carers.

Charity Excellence Awards Digital Innovation Winner

What our Families Say

"My beautiful little girl Amelia requires 24/7 care. Amelia has suffered setbacks and a lot of regression in her short little life so far. Since being recently diagnosed with rare genetic disease - CLCN6, our lives have changed forever. Having the amazing support from Jack and Jill has helped me so much mentally and physically, just to be able to take time for me and my son Calvin, who has been so brilliant through all the ups and downs over the last few years. He deserves to have time with his Mum too, and some normality, and Jack and Jill enables us to have that quality time together."

Jack and Jill Mum Deborah, Co. Dublin

"I’m a single parent, my job is 24/7 there is no time off, no holidays, no time to be sick. My son Jack has a rare condition called OberKlind Danks Syndrome, there are about 50 cases in the world. Finding out your child has a condition that is lifelong and in cases life limiting, isn’t easy. I was told he may never walk, talk or eat and I would be doing the job of 10 Mothers. Through the extreme highs & the extreme lows Jack and Jill have been the constant thread in my life since the very beginning."

Jack and Jill Mum Nina, Co. Dublin

"It was such a relief to have someone in the early days to walk us through all this, the complexities are easier to face when there is Jack and Jill expertise to guide you through everything, from establishing a routine for your child’s care needs to organising supplies and how you order your oxygen etc. It’s so much more than the break you get, it’s that support when you’re trying to figure it all out."

Jack and Jill Mum Deirdre, Co. Meath

"We use our Jack and Jill hours to bring or collect Jake from school. It gives him a sense of normality, because he had to grow up so quickly when Olivia came along. He struggled with senior infants but I think that was mostly due to us being back and forth from hospital. He loves first class this year, which is great."

Jack and Jill Mum Amanda, Co. Laois

"Ellie is a little fighter and has done much better than predicted. She continues to amaze us.Our nurses are like part of the family and it is wonderful when they come. I feel comfortable and reassured that Ellie will be well looked after and I can get a real break."

Jack and Jill Mum Isobel, Co. Donegal