By Michelle Crean

A Killarney-based nurse is seeking support for a fundraiser next month which will help sick Kerry children and their families.

Siobhan Reen, a Specialist Children’s Liaison Nurse with the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation, is encouraging members of the public to gather friends and family and go Up the Hill for Jack & Jill this October to raise much-needed funds for the nine families it supports in Kerry.

This is the seventh year of the nationwide fundraising challenge which helps fund specialist home nursing care, respite support and end-of-life care for very sick children up to the age of six.

Notwithstanding the pandemic, in 2020 Jack & Jill funded and delivered over 94,000 hours of home nursing care to 376 families, through a team of hundreds of nurses and carers in communities across the country.

This was in addition to the 25,000 hours of hands-on, case management provided by the Jack & Jill core nursing team, which is made up of 15 specialist children’s liaison nurses. In 2020, Jack & Jill also extended the age range of children it supports by a year and that age extension continues today, with children up to six years of age receiving the vital care that they need at home. Because, for a Jack & Jill child, there is no care like home care.

With less than 20 percent of Jack & Jill’s funding coming from Government, it relies hugely on the support of the public for the continued provision of this critical service for so many families.

Siobhan says that 'Up the Hill' means so much to local families, who depend on the funds raised for their support.

“To say that it has been a very tough 18 months for our Jack & Jill families is an understatement," Siobhan said.

"As one of the vulnerable groups during the pandemic, our families have had to take refuge in order to keep themselves and, most importantly, their children safe. It has been really tough. Throughout this time, we have continued to provide in-home support, across the garden wall support, and over the phone support. Last year, we provided over 2,100 hours of support to families in Kerry. This affords families the ‘Gift of Time’ to do things for themselves and other family members – whether it’s spending some quality time with a sibling, grabbing a quick coffee with a friend, getting some fresh air in the great outdoors, or simply taking a nap to recharge – it’s that time out which means that they can continue to spend time caring for their sick child and doing what mums and dads do best.”

Five Easy Steps

The fundraising challenge couldn’t be simpler; Register your challenge at www.jackandjill.ie for just €18 – the cost of one hour of specialist home nursing care and receive an optional eco-friendly banner. You can also purchase a Jack & Jill beanie for €10 to make sure you stand out on the day! Identify a location for your 'Up the Hill' challenge; it can be in a local park, or a peak on a nearby mountain – whatever hill works for your fitness level and ability. Recruit your family members, friends and work colleagues to join you, but remember to stay within public health guidance. Decide on a date during the month of October that best suits your group and begin the countdown to let the excitement build. The final frontier – grab your hill and go! Then using the eco-friendly banner, take a picture to proclaim your achievement to the world on social media!

To find out more visit www.jackandjill.ie, call 045 894538, or find them online: Instagram @jackandjillcf; Twitter @jackandjillcf; Facebook @jackandjillfoundation; and LinkedIn @Jack & Jill Children's Foundation.