Lucy’s mum Nathalie
In support of Children’s Health Foundation
From providing lifesaving equipment and essential patient and parental support to making groundbreaking paediatric research possible, vital funds are supporting sick children and their families across Ireland.
At just three weeks old, baby Lucy underwent open-heart surgery at CHI Crumlin. Her specialist medical teams care for some of the country’s smallest and most vulnerable patients, performing complex procedures on tiny hearts.
Uncertainties of neonatal complications
For new parents Nathalie and Máirtín, the joy of bringing home their newborn daughter was cut short. At just three weeks old, she was diagnosed with a severe narrowing of the aorta — a critical artery carrying blood from her heart to the rest of her body.
Instead of settling into life at home, Lucy’s parents found themselves navigating hospital wards, constant medical monitoring and the terrifying uncertainty of open-heart surgery. “You find yourself unable to help, or do anything, or even fully believe what is happening,” recalls Nathalie. “You just wait, and you trust.”
Beyond medical intervention
Through donor generosity, Children’s Health Foundation provides resources that transform the hospital experience for sick children, including therapeutic play and music. For a sick child, play is far more than a distraction; it is a critical part of their physical, cognitive and emotional health. In a hospital setting, therapeutic play gives children a sense of ease in an environment where almost everything feels unpredictable.
By surrounding world-class medical treatment with complete emotional and developmental care, we work together to ensure that every sick child gets the best possible chance to heal, go home and thrive.
For more information, visit Childrenshealth.ie
