Mobile phone drive to get second children’s Bumbleance on the road

The charity behind Ireland’s first interactive ambulance for children is stepping up its campaign to get a second vehicle on the road.

The Saoirse Foundation’s hi-tech Bumbleance — which is used to transport critically ill children to medical appointments all over the country — will roll into two Cork schools next Thursday, 27 March, before visiting UCC on its drive to collect 100,000 mobile phones for recycling.

The initiative will help keep the first Bumbleance on the road, and add a second vehicle to the fleet within a few months.

Foundation founder, Tony Heffernan, who lost his daughter, Saoirse, five, to Batten’s Disease in 2011, and whose younger child, Liam, is battling the deadly condition, said that recent charity scandals have hit donations. “Donations are down so we have to be a bit more innovative,” he said.

“We don’t get any State support, there are no bonuses, no top-ups, no pensions, and I don’t get a salary. We’re a very lean and effective organisation. An average of 92% of all our donations goes directly to the provision of this service.

“This single vehicle is very busy and we have to get a second vehicle on the road. I would hope to be able to order it in June and get it on the road by July or August.”

The Bumbleance — which is equipped with a DVD player, an iPad, games consoles, and social media streaming capabilities — will visit St Catherine’s Girls NS and Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh Boys NS, where Tony went to school, next week.

The pupils will be asked to recommend the latest video games and app downloads for the vehicle.

“They are the experts, after all. It’s all about how we can make the journey less frightening, and more enjoyable for our young patients,” Tony said.

The Bumbleance will then park in front of the UCC Student Centre from 11am until 2pm. UCC staff and students have been urged to bring their old mobile phones for recycling. People can also make a €4 donation by texting the word ‘buzz’ to 50300.

Anyone who donates a phone or texts a pledge will be entered into a national draw for a 2014 Mercedes car. The charity hopes to reach their 100,000 phone target by the end of July.

* www.bumbleance.com