The Children’s Health Foundation is calling on the people of Cork to be brave this year, by taking part in their ‘Dare to be Brave’ adventure series, which will raise vital funds to support sick children and their families in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght, and Connolly. Each year, hundreds of thousands of sick children cross the doors of CHI hospitals and urgent care centres at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght, and Connolly including Patrick Donohoe, Ballincollig, who was on hand with his brothers James, Sean and Michael, to launch this exciting series of adrenaline-inducing events which includes a 13,000ft skydive, abseil from Croke Park’s iconic Hogan Stand, a 24-hour wilderness survival challenge and Hell & Back. Patrick was born in 2021 with an underlying heart condition that required open-heart surgery in the first six months of his life and his parents, Michelle and Brian, journey with Crumlin started well before his arrival. By the time Patrick was born they had met his cardiologist, Dr. Orla Franklin and her team a number of times and the nursing specialist had arranged for the family to visit Crumlin before Patrick’s birth allowing them to get to know the hospital. and in particular the Heart Centre, where they would be spending time over the coming months. The Donohoe’s made their first trip to Crumlin when Patrick was three-weeks-old. After that first visit, they had weekly calls with his team and monthly visits to meet his cardiologist in Crumlin until they got the call to bring Patrick for his surgery when he was nearly four months old. The brave Ballincollig boy had his open-heart surgery in Crumlin on May 24th 2021 and, after a short stay, was back home to his big brothers James, Sean and Michael. Thankfully Patrick hasn’t looked back since his surgery and the bravery he and his family showed was incredible and that’s why Children’s Health Foundation is daring you to be brave this summer to raise vital, life-saving funds for more children like Patrick. The events will take place between June and September 2023, and will provide participants with exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Participants can sign-up to take part in all challenges, or they can choose which of the challenges they want to take on, by themselves, or as a member of a team. More information on www.childrenshealth.ie/daretobebrave or email daretobebrave@childrenshealth.ie
