€1.5m needed to refurbish Children’s Unit

The CUH Charity held a launch event today at the Cork University Hospital (CUH) to announce its first appeal to raise €1.5m to refurbish CUH Children’s Unit. The appeal is being supported by rugby star and parent, Ronan O’Gara and other charity patrons such as Donal Lenihan, Aidan O’Brien and Dr Clare O’Leary. CUH Charity has been established to raise funds across all departments to improve facilities and services for patients and visitors attending Cork University Hospital.

Commenting on the launch of the appeal, Dr David Mullane, Head of the Paediatric Department said: “A major development at CUH is underway to allow the Children’s Unit and the Children’s Leukaemia / Cancer Unit from the Mercy University Hospital relocate to CUH. This single centre for children will provide an extensive range of specialist services for children of the greater Munster region. While funding has been secured for the extension, we need to raise €1,500,000 to refurbish the inpatient facilities in the Children’s Unit. The current facilities were built in the 1970s and need updating. We aim to provide the best of care by international standards in the most appropriate environment for children.”

Prof Michael Molloy, Chairman of the CUH Charity added: “Every child in Cork and the surrounding counties will use these facilities. This is a call to action for the children of Munster. It is the first time that the Children’s Unit at CUH has appealed for funds and we are asking the wider community to support this appeal. Our aim is to improve facilities and services for children and their parents to ensure their stay at the CUH is as comfortable as possible.”

The Charity is asking clubs, businesses, schools and people in the community to get behind them by organising an event or fundraising initiative in aid of this appeal.

The Children’s Unit at CUH provides care to children from 2 days old to 16 years of age. Each year, 7,500 children are admitted to the Children’s Unit at CUH, 5,000 attend the Children’s Day Unit and 10,000 are seen in the out-patient department – making it one of busiest Children’s Units in the country.

Over 5,000 children with acute problems are seen in the Paediatric Assessment Unit and the Emergency Department. It is a specialist centre for children with cystic fibrosis (90 children), diabetes (>400 children), neurology / epilepsy, endocrinology and allergy as well as providing care for children with a broad range of medical and surgical conditions.

CUH covers the regional area of Cork, Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary, Waterford, Clare and Kilkenny, with an ever growing population needing the hospital’s services.  To fund this demand, the CUH Charity was formed.

For further information on how people, businesses or schools can support this appeal please contact Joe Browne at joe@cuhcharity.ie  or by phone on 021 4234529 (Mon to Fri 9.30am – 5.30pm or after hours call 087 638 7070). For further information go to www.cuhcharity.ie or follow Cork University Hospital Charity on Facebook.