Skydive in memory of little Sonny
A father who lost his newborn son to a heart defect will complete a charity skydive tomorrow in aid of the Mercy Hospital.
Colin Curran’s little boy Sonny was diagnosed at birth with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), meaning he was born with a hole in his diaphragm. Sonny passed away on 18 October 2020 at just 25 days old.
His dad Colin, who is a Porter at the Mercy University Hospital in Cork city, is taking on the skydive in memory of Sonny and to raise funds for the Mercy University Hospital Foundation’s Kids and Teens Appeal.
The jump was originally planned for 23 September which would have been Sonny’s 3rd birthday, but high winds meant it had to be postponed. The jump will take place tomorrow, Friday, at the Irish Parachute Club in county Offaly.
Colin will be joined by a group of his colleagues at the Mercy, hospital porters Phil Aldridge, Evan Cashman, James Taylor, Micheal Murray, and Jimmy McCarthy; as well as healthcare assistant Jason O’Sullivan.
“Each year, my wife Karen and I mark Sonny’s birthday in a special way,” said Colin. “This year I am delighted that my colleagues from the Mercy, a hospital which means so much to so many in our local community, will join me in honouring Sonny’s memory by taking to the skies with me.
“The funds we raise will help other families with sick children to have the most comfortable experience possible in what is a very difficult time in their lives,” he added.
Thanking Colin and his colleagues undertaking the skydive, Louise O’Brien, Community Fundraiser at the Mercy University Hospital Foundation, said: “It is vital that when a child is ill, that they and their parents and siblings have access to the best care, facilities, and support.
“The Mercy has a 28 bed paediatrics ward that caters for both medical and surgical care, and the Mercy University Hospital Foundation constantly strives to ensure that every child has a comfortable stay at the Mercy.
“The children’s ward and leukaemia unit continue to provide treatment and care to Munster’s smallest patients, and through funds raised through events like the Sonny Curran Memorial Skydive, will continue to provide the support they deserve,” she added.
To donate to the Sonny Curran Memorial Skydive fundraiser, visit idonate.ie/fundraiser/colinCurran.
For more information on Mercy University Hospital Foundation’s Kids and Teens Appeal, visit mercyhospitalfoundation.ie/appeals/the-mercy-kids-teens-appeal/.