Patrick's Story
Patrick, was born with an underlying heart condition and cared for by the amazing team in Childrens Health Ireland at Crumlin’s Heart Centre
Patrick's Mum, Michelle, and her family were so grateful to the team at Crumlin, they decided they wanted to give back by raising much needed vital funds for Children’s Health Foundation to help other children just like Patrick. Michelle shares their experience... “Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin is a very special place. I don’t think anyone doubts the incredible work that is done there on a day-to-day basis. We have always been a supporter of Crumlin’s Children’s Hospital and their work, but I don’t think we ever fully appreciated just what an incredible place it is until we experienced, first-hand, the work that is done there.
“Our little boy Patrick was born in 2021 with an underlying heart condition that required open heart surgery in the first six months of his life. Our journey with Crumlin started well before his arrival and by the time that Patrick was born, we had met his cardiologist and her team a number of times. His nurse specialist arranged for us to visit Crumlin, allowing us to get to know the hospital and in particular the Heart Centre, where we would be spending some time over the coming months. We made our first trip to Crumlin when Patrick was just shy of four-weeks-old. After that first visit, we had weekly calls with his team and monthly visits to meet his cardiologist in Crumlin until we got the call to bring Patrick for his surgery when he was nearly four-months-old.
“Handing over our little boy for such a major surgery was such an emotionally challenging day and one we won’t ever forget. There was comfort in knowing that Patrick needed this surgery and that we were entrusting our little boy to an expert team who are the best in class at what they do. There is no two ways about it, the people who work in Crumlin (from the cardiologists, consultants, surgeons, doctors, nurses, social workers, carers, house staff and everyone who works there) are very special people. The work they do cannot be easy, yet they do it with such care, honesty, optimism, friendliness, willingness and kindness, all we can say is we are in awe of them and forever grateful to them all.
“Patrick had his open-heart surgery in Crumlin on the 24th May 2021 and after a short stay, was enroute back to Cork to his big brothers James, Sean and Michael. Thankfully Patrick hasn’t looked back since his surgery, and it is really hard to imagine or compare where we were last year to where we are now. He is the happiest, healthiest and most fun-loving little man and he brightens every day. As we approach the first anniversary of his heart surgery, we decided what better way to mark this than to do a fundraiser to say thank you to Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin and the people who do an incredible job there.
The last two years haven’t been easy for any charity and fundraising opportunities have been restricted and much more limited than they ever were. Every donation makes a real difference and allows the people there to do what they do best, save lives and give children a better quality of life.”
