‘Up the Hill for Jack & Jill’ launched as Jack & Jill nurses ask people to climb a hill, big or small, and donate €16 to fund 1 hour of home nursing care for a sick child in their home county
The Jack & Jill Foundation’s specialist children’s nurses have today launched “Up the Hill for Jack & Jill” a major fundraising initiative in September and October, where people are asked to climb a hill of their choice – big hill, small hill, emotional hill or treadmill – and to donate €16 to Jack & Jill which will fund 1 hour of home nursing care for a sick child in their home county.
We are asking our friends and supporters, young and old, fit or aspiring to be, individually or in groups to sign up for the campaign for a once off registration fee of €16, with a target of raising €200,000 to fund 12,500 hours of home nursing care for sick children who suffer severe development delay as a result of brain damage.
This campaign aims to build awareness of the Jack & Jill families nationwide with children, from birth to 4 years old, who have a life limiting or life threatening condition and the hill they climb every day to keep their child well cared for at home, where they belong, with the help of Jack & Jill nurses.
Urging people to get involved and to share their pictures on Facebook, to build momentum for this campaign, the nursing team said:
“As nurses we are honoured and inspired to support these children and their families who have a resilience and commitment to make every day count. These are precious children in every community in Ireland who typically take seizures, are oxygen dependent, are tube fed and have problems sleeping. But underneath all of this disability, these are children who do better at home medically, emotionally, financially amongst their family, their community, where they belong. This campaign is about community helping community, neighbour helping neighbour, and friends getting together to have fun and raise money for a good, local cause. In particular, it is a great way for the friends and neighbours of families with Jack & Jill children, who can often feel unsure as to what they can do to help, to make a real difference.”
The Jack & Jill home nursing care model has an 18 year track record, having supported over 1,900 children nationwide. The homecare plan is designed around the whole family, never forgetting the siblings. There is no waiting list and the nurses provide an out of hours service for the families that need it and operate 365 days a year, in every community and every walk of life. The nationwide service includes home visits and care, advice, information, lobbying and bereavement support, with the Foundation providing funding for up to 64 hours of home nursing care per month at a cost of €1024 per family and up to 80 hours per month for end of life care.
