Terminal diseases kill 354 children a year

Around 1,300 children in Ireland are living with life-limiting illnesses, new figures show today.

As plans for the country’s first Children’s Hospice are to be unveiled, voluntary healthcare body the Children’s Sunshine Home revealed that on average, 354 youngsters died from terminal diseases each year.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will confirm plans for the hospice today with planning applications already approved and building work to begin in November 2006.

The centre will house four buildings including a palliative care home, an eight bed state-of-the-art unit and additional respite, residential and family accommodation for more than 300 children and families.

In Ireland there are an estimated 1,369 children with life-limiting conditions and most are unlikely to live to adulthood, according to a 2005 report from the Department of Health, Irish Hospice Foundation and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.

The Children’s Sunshine Home was started to help these children and their families and provides respite, home support, residential, palliative care to children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.