This week, we pause to acknowledge two significant anniversaries that are deeply woven into the fabric of The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation. It is a time to reflect and remember two extraordinary individuals whose lives have left an indelible mark on the families we support.
On December 10th, we mark the first anniversary of the passing of our Founder, Jonathan Irwin. All of us at Jack and Jill extend our heartfelt thoughts and best wishes to Jonathan’s family on this occasion. We also take this moment to celebrate Jonathan and the remarkable legacy he built with unrelenting passion and care.
Jonathan was an extraordinary man, whose vision was born from his own family’s experience of caring for their son Jack at home. Together with his wife Mary Ann, and with the support of local nurses, they navigated the challenges of caring for Jack, whose complex medical needs required dedicated 24hr care. From that deeply personal journey, Jonathan’s mission grew, to ensure no parent would face such a journey alone.
This week also marks the anniversary of Jack’s passing on December 13th, 1997, at just 22 months old. Though Jack’s life was short, his impact has been profound, inspiring a model of in-home nursing and respite care that continues to support hundreds of children and families across Ireland nearly three decades later. Jack’s legacy lives on in every step we take, and in every child who benefits from the blueprint of care first developed in his name.
Jonathan and Mary Ann turned their grief into action, creating a lifeline of support for families who needed it most. Thanks to Jonathan’s vision, over 3,100 children have been cared for in the comfort of their own homes—a testament to his gift of time, advocacy, and boundless compassion.
This week, we remember both Jack and Jonathan with gratitude, admiration, and love. Their legacy inspires us to carry forward the work of Jack and Jill, ensuring that families receive the support they need, because we truly believe there is no care like home care.
Always remembered. Never forgotten.
To help support Jonathan and Jack’s legacy, please donate to Jack and Jill today:
