Jack and Jill Children's Foundation which cares for children in Louth launches Christmas appeal

Home and family are synonymous with Christmas, but for over 400 families in communities across the country, including five children in Louth being able to have their child at home for the festive season, with the help of their Jack and Jill nurse, is even more important.    

The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation hopes to raise €1 million through its Home for Christmas Appeal which will directly fund 55,000 hours of in-home nursing care to support children with highly complex and life-limiting medical conditions, allowing them stay at home, in their community, where they belong.

There’s lots to choose from in the Jack and Jill Christmas Collection, including stunning ‘Find a Diamond’ candle and diffuser sets from Paul and William Costelloe, limited edition Tote bags designed by artist Miriam Smithers, Teachers Gift Cards, ‘Gift of Time Cards’ and exclusively designed Christmas cards from Kildare artist Laura Dempsey aka Pickled Pom Pom. 

Launching the charity’s Home for Christmas appeal, CEO Carmel Doyle said, “With more children under our care than ever before and an 8% year-on-year increase in our core service, public support is vital in helping us raise our €1 million target in this Christmas Appeal.  

"So far this year we have supported 559 children, with demand higher than ever for our service.  Therefore, we need all the help we can get, as we ask people across Co Louth to donate local, support local and shop local through our wonderful Christmas Gift Collection.

"Every Christmas purchase and donation is a gift of time by funding and supporting home nursing care hours that make a real difference to local families. With only 25% of our €6.8M annual budget coming from the government, we rely on the kindness of the public, communities and businesses to support us.”

The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation currently provides vital in-home nursing care and respite support to over 400 families across Ireland who are caring for children, up to the age of six, with neurodevelopmental delay associated with a severe cognitive delay.

This may include children with brain injury, genetic diagnosis, cerebral palsy, and undiagnosed conditions.  Another key part of the service is end-of-life care for all children up to the age of six, irrespective of diagnosis.   

There are families in communities across the country being cared for right now by the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, including five families in Louth. In fact, a total of 68 families have been supported by Jack and Jill in Louth since the charity’s foundation in 1997.

With a mission of empowering families to care for their child at home by funding and delivering nursing, respite and advocacy; Jack and Jill has supported almost 3,000 families since it was founded by pioneering parents Jonathan Irwin and Mary Ann O’Brien 26 years ago.  

They established the charity in memory of their son Jack Irwin who passed away at home at the age of 22 months on 13th December 1996. Today, this vital service has no means test, no waiting list, and no unnecessary paperwork and red tape.  

This Christmas, members of the public can give the gift of time to families cared for by Jack and Jill, with a Christmas donation or a gift purchase from a wide range of stunning gifts translating into in-home nursing care hours for local children and their families.  

Shop the collection now on www.jackandjill.ie