Thumbs up for new fundraiser

There's a new campaign underway to help children get the best care possible in Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Miss Cork Saoirse O’Shaughnessy and Munster and Ireland legend Peter O’Mahony celebrated with children at CUH after council planners gave the ‘buy a brick’ campaign the green light.

The duo came to the hospital to surprise some of the young patients who, in the future, may need the use of the new paediatric unit that Mr O’Mahony and Miss O’Shaughnessy are campaigning for.

The project is close to the heart of Miss Ireland 2022 finalist Saoirse who is a healthcare assistant in CUH’s emergency department.

She said: “It is so much better for a child from Cork to be treated in Cork, financially and emotionally, rather than go all the way to Dublin,” she said.

“Every child deserves to have the best childhood. You never know when you are going to need the services provided by the new hospital.”

When completed, the unit will also include child friendly operating theatres, children’s MRI as well as specialist rooms for oncology and high-dependency patients.

Munster flanker O’Mahony said: “There will be room for parents to be with their children at times of need, so it is going to be an incredible facility. It is unbelievably important for Cork, the Munster region and Ireland in general.”

An initiative launched by the hospital’s fundraising arm, CUH Charity, will see funds being used to furnish the 5 storey, state-of-the-art facility. It will also give the public the chance to have their names on the wall.

Claire Concannon of CUH Charity said the new extension, along with the current construction of the children’s emergency department, will “lead to a smoother journey for children and their families though our healthcare system”.

The campaign has so far raised more than €37,000 in donations from the public. The bricks cost €50 each and can be bought at cuh.buyabrick.ie.