CFAI Launch Buy a Brick Fundraising Campaign - National Building Programme to Build Life Saving Units throughout Ireland

01 May 2009

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland (CFAI) has launched a major National Campaign to fundraise for dedicated CF units throughout the country.   The "Buy a Brick" Campaign plans to raise over €2.5million to ensure that young people living with CF have dedicated CF units in their regions, taking pressure off the major CF centres in Dublin.  The campaign will be asking people to support fundraising initiatives in their areas, which will be raising money to help fund a National Building Programme that will build these units throughout Ireland. 

It is now a well known fact that Ireland has the highest prevalence and the most severe types of Cystic Fibrosis in the World, yet we have some of the poorest resources for Cystic Fibrosis Patients in Europe.  The "Buy a Brick" Campaign plans to reverse this unacceptable and shameful situation, ensuring that CF patients' hospital stays are safer and shorter, through isolated and dedicated units and that they live much better quality lives without having to fear attending hospital when they are unwell or on scheduled check ups.

Sean O'Kennedy, National Chairperson CFAI stated at the launch "We should be world leaders in CF facilities and treatment, but we seriously lag behind everyone else.  We now need to take matters into our own hands to protect the lives of our young CF people.  Cuts are being made throughout the country and to the Health Service, but we need to ensure that our young people living with CF are given the proper hospital facilities they require, which is a basic human right. Fundraising is critical at this time and we know with the help and generosity of people in Ireland we will achieve our objective brick-by-brick".

The Campaign is asking people to fundraise or donate for actual bricks and mortar to build these dedicated units throughout the country.  Sean added "After the Pollock Report was published in 2005, funds were made available by the HSE and the Department of Health, with contributions from the CFAI, for specialist CF personnel and some of these posts have now been filled.  However we still lack the proper physical facilities that were also highlighted back in 2005."

The Campaign is being launched ahead of the CFAI National Awareness Week which takes place from 18th - 24th May 2009.  During CF Awareness Week specially commissioned "Brick Pins" will be for sale throughout the country for just €2 each; and people can actually "Buy a Brick" on-line at www.cfireland.ie. As well as this many people are already organising their own regional events and activities to fundraise for a particular centre that is relevant for people with CF in their area.