27 June 2007
The Jack and Jill Foundation was set up to assist families with severely developmentally delayed babies, providing professional nursing assistance through their team of nurses located throughout the country, with the objectives of providing care for the children and providing vital support for the family at this difficult time. The Jack & Jill foundation is a registered Irish Charity set up by Jonathan Irwin, who's baby son, Jack, died at just 22 months after serious complications at birth, which left him in need of continual respite care.
The home nursing service that the Jack & Jill Foundation provide has made a significant difference in the lives of families coping on a daily basis with the needs of their sick child. While the love and care parents give to their sick child is unconditional, it can also be exhausting in the extreme... Families need respite. To date the charity has successfully helped over 800 families throughout Ireland, but there is a constant need to fundraise in order to maintain the level of support now and on an ongoing basis. The Charity needs to raise over €2 million per year, with just a small fraction of this coming from the Government.
This summer, The Jack and Jill Foundation has come up with unique ways of fundraising that are easy for all members of the public to participate in. On Wednesday 27th June, The Jack & Jill Foundation is launching a new initiative in association with lastminute.com one of Europe's leading on-line holiday and lifestyle providers. Eddie Hobbs, Patron of The Jack and Jill Foundation will launch this campaign, where, for every new sign-up to the their newsletter in July, lastminute.com will make a donation to the Jack and Jill Foundation. All people have to do is log on to www.makingadifference.ie and register; the money will automatically be transferred to the Charity. lastminute.com will also send details of The Jack and Jill Foundation to all 55,000 people who have already signed up for the Newsletter, highlighting the other ways people can help the Charity.
For further information on ways to help Jack & Jill babies and their families check out www.jackandjill.ie or go to www.makingadifference.ie.
I’m not sure who the first person was to coin that phrase about Simon Harris our new Taoiseach but it certainly is “stuck” onto him now. When the phrase is used do you think it is me...