€600,000 donation to help build children’s cancer unit

A €600,000 donation by the Children’s Leukaemia Association will help finance a state-of-the-art unit for children with leukaemia and cancer at Cork University Hospital.

The unit will be located on the ground floor of the hospital in a self-contained section opening on to a landscaped garden and will comprise of:

-Four large, single, in-patient, en-suite rooms with isolation and parent sleeping facilities.

-Three outpatient chemotherapy spaces.

-A play area.

-A lounge and dining area for parents.

The unit will also provide support accommodation including a nurses’ station, housekeeping rooms, and stores.

CUH chief executive Tony McNamara described the scale of fundraising carried out by the association as “a remarkable achievement” and said he looked forward to working with them on the new facility.

Rosarie O’Donovan, chairperson of the association, said they had spent three decades raising money, which at times had been extremely challenging, but thanks to loyal fundraisers and the generosity of supporters and friends, they were now in a position “to provide the vital support services that help so many families during this difficult time in their lives”.

The association’s board of directors will hand over the cheque towards the funding of the unit tonight at the River Lee Hotel on the Western Road at 7pm.