Limerick-based charity aims to do more for families through new strategic plan
A LIMERICK-based charity has called on the Government to "do more for families" who are caring for a seriously sick child.
In a bid to extend their support for over 4,000 families across Ireland, Cliona’s Foundation has launched a three-year strategic plan.
With their board of directors and CEO, the charity has outlined its intention to work harder than ever on its mission to provide immediate financial support to families caring for a seriously sick child across Ireland.
As part of their initiative, they have called on the government to provide more assistance for the thousands of families in crisis who are in need of immediate and long term help.
In 2006, Brendan and Terry Ring set up the foundation following the death of their daughter Cliona, who suffered from an inoperable brain tumour at the age of 15.
During her treatment, the parents met many families who were struggling, not only with the devastating diagnosis but also with the significant nonmedical costs. Having lost their daughter Cliona, they possess an intimate understanding and empathy for the difficult situation the families find themselves in.
Commissioned by the foundation, an academic review titled “Too Dear to Visit” found that there are approximately 4000 families caring for a seriously sick child with a life limiting illness in Ireland. And, many of these families struggle with substantial nonmedical costs of caring for their child while in hospital or at home.
It was found that many of these families have two working parents and at least one of these parents must give up their job to help care for their child, which immediately plunges them into financial crisis.
Part of the study concluded that the financial support given by Cliona’s Foundation is used to pay for travel, accommodation, petrol, subsistence (56%), household bills and income support (18%), adaptations (house car and equipment) (13%), miscellaneous (9%).
In light of these findings, Cliona’s released a new plan, with one objective being to “do more for families.”
With housing, costs of living, youth mental health, and overcrowding in hospitals all dominating the headlines, CEO and Co-Founder Brendan Ring says it is vitally important to advocate for these families who are consistently disproportionately affected.
Speaking at the launch of the Strategic Plan 2023-2025, Brendan Ring, commented: “I am incredibly saddened by the issues facing families at the moment, such as inflation, hospital over-crowding and more recently the findings at CAMH’s, because we know that families caring for a seriously sick child will be so badly affected by these issues.”
So far in 2022, the foundation has distributed €413,800 in funding to over 1,160 struggling families so far in 2022, the largest annual amount since the organisation was founded in 2008 and up a staggering 85% on the 2021 support distributed.
By the end of the year, Cliona’s Foundation expects at least 200 families will apply for financial assistance, and the foundation will need to raise a minimum of €500,000 to meet these applications.