'No school forever': The kids from Rainbow Club Cork on what they want for Christmas
Some of the kids from Rainbow Club Cork, a club for autistic children, made requests for Christmas when they put pen to paper to write to Santa Claus. File picture: Denis Minihane
"For the world to have no worries or problems in their lives, and for everybody to be happy all the time."
That's what one of the kids from the Rainbow Club Cork, a club for autistic children, requested for Christmas when they put pen to paper to write to Santa Claus.
Another asked for a dinosaur theme of Jurassic World and Lego dinosaurs, while another said simply: “No school forever”.
One child optimistically wrote “everything”, while another asked for a new car and a dog. Sonic the Hedgehog was another request, while computer games, including Donkey Kong, were also popular.
Books and Fortnite Lego were also requested as well as a pink Stanley Cup in the beautifully decorated Christmas lists.
Rainbow Club CEO Karen O’Mahony said: “My wish for Christmas is for us get our new home next year and support from the government with funding for the building so we have a place that’s ours, space and all the wonderful things we need at Rainbow Club.”
In September last year, Irish Examiner GAA correspondent John Fogarty wrote a powerful story on behalf of his daughter Grace, supported by his wife Sharon.
In their letter this Christmas, the couple wrote: “All we want for Christmas is what we asked for last year and the year before; support and early intervention for our daughter Grace.”
They explained she is still waiting for long-promised care. They only recently found out through a local TD that this has been further delayed for another two years. This means the little girl’s wait for early intervention will come to five years.
Grace cannot make her own voice heard, they stressed.
“Is it because Grace doesn’t have a voice that she and so many other children are ignored? Vulnerability isn’t the priority our leaders claim it is,” the frustrated parents wrote.
Charlotte Hanley is a member of Down Syndrome Limerick. She gathered requests from the group as well as for her own son Daithí.
This Christmas, she's asking for a better understanding of medical conditions connected with Down Syndrome. Her son was “a long time chasing” a recent diagnosis of Down syndrome-associated arthritis.
One mother is asking Santa Claus for “a nicer world for our kids to live in”. This woman’s Christmas wish list also includes better access to equal healthcare and better access to therapies.
“Early intervention should mean early,” she asked.
She's asking Santa to also remember adults with disabilities, requesting “an easier path to securing personalised budgets” for this group. They also need “proper care pathways” for long-term illnesses.
Another Limerick parent said they're asking for services to be better integrated “so parents don’t have to do so much legwork to find out what’s available”.
Writing to Daidí na Nollag from the Gaeltacht area of An Rinn in Waterford, Aoileann Ní Bheaglaoi is asking for soft toys and some bigger changes.
“Ba mhaith liom go dtugfaidh feabhas ar mo airtríteas agus na beidh pian orm ,” she said.
“Ba mhaith liom go mbeadh banaltra ar fáil chun cabhrú le m'athair agus mo mháthair. Tá 10 n-uair a chloig ceadaithe ach ní féidir leis an HSE banaltra a fáil chun aire a thabhairt dom ."
She asked “go mbeidh an rialtas agus na comhairlí áitiúla níos tuisceanach faoi dhaoine le riachtanaisí breise ".
She pointed to "na rudai beaga" that would help, like safer footpaths.
Aoileann also asked for “síocháin sa domhan” and housing for everyone.
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