Portlaoise pals raise €11,500 for Lauralynn children's hospice

Three Portlaoise friends have managed to raise over €11,500 for the Lauralynn children’s hospice, a cause close to their hearts.

On 10th of October pals James Brown, Declan Mannion, and Teddy Fennelly took part in the annual Lauralynn 5 & 10K run day in Leopardstown, Dublin.

For Declan, it is in thanks for the great care his son Jamie is now getting since he was accepted for respite at the hospice last summer.

Jamie Mannion, aged 14 has complex medical needs, including epilepsy. He is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair.

Declan explains that so far he and his wife Siobhan have taken one respite break at the Lauralynn centre with him, and it is already proving a lifechanging support for them.

The centre in Dublin gives care for short breaks, emotional support, practical symptom management support and short term nursing.

“We have gone there for one respite break so far. We spent two nights there. It’s like an actual hospital but the parents’ accommodation is upstairs, it’s like a hotel.

“The children are all cared for by fully qualified nurses and doctors. They take over everything, the medical needs and socially too. It’s brilliant.

“It was the first time that myself and my wife Siobhan got to go out for a meal in 10 years,” Declan revealed.

Doing the run was no easy task for him.

“I used to run a good bit but the joints are catching up. I had an operation in June on a broken cartilage in my ankle so I was on crutches for the summer.

“I started training doing 3kms but on the day I got the pacing right and I did the 5km.

The two boys do Park Runs so they did the 10km,” he explained.

Jamie who also has an older brother Ryan aged 17, came to public attention back in 2022, when Siobhan launched a fundraiser for a Trexo Robotics machine to enable him to stand upright and walk.

It resulted in a generous €48,000 donated by people from near and far to the good cause.

It enabled the family to take Jamie to Toronto, Canada for intensive therapy and training with his groundbreaking robotic machine. The machine is a stand up frame that “walks” Jamie, aiding in his overall health.It is still helping Jamie today, now aged 14 and a student at St Anne’s special school in Roscrea.

“It is brilliant. He still uses it when he is well enough. That fundraiser was brilliant.

“Jamie is doing ok. He gets epileptic seizures that can be prolonged and dangerous. He would be in hospital quite a lot,” he said.

Declan explains the added reasons that spurred James Brown to do the fundraising run.

“James’ niece Hollie Brown Quail was supported by Laura Lynn throughout her short life,” he said.

The Jamie for Trexo fundraiser had been greatly helped by James and his wife Carmel, in a time of tragedy.

When their beloved son David died aged 15 in an accident, the family kindly invited sympathisers to make a donation in his memory to the Trexo fundraiser.

“We look on James as an angel, for the support that he and Carmel gave us. His brother Justin held a fundraiser at Coláiste Iosagáin in Portarlington too and the students there raised €4,000.

“When it comes to the crunch, local people are just amazing, they really put their shoulder to the wheel, and it’s always the quiet people that do it,” Declan remarked.

Their new joint fundraiser, along with pal Teddy Fennelly, has so far raised over €11,500.

“It’s a great boost. Some local businesses who don’t want to be known have donated as much as €500, it’s just amazing. You really see the goodness in people,” Declan said.

Declan, James and Teddy thank everyone who supported the run by donating to their idonate pages.

"We know the work that Laura Lynn do to support families of children with life limiting conditions and we're delighted we could do our bit to give back,” the friends say.

Lauralynn supports children with life limiting conditions and their family with short breaks, emotional support, practical symptom management support and short term nursing.

Donations remains open until November the 5thhttps://www.idonate.ie/event/lauralynn5and10K