Twenty-six Irish charities received donations from the Hospital Saturday Fund (HSF) at a special reception hosted at University College Cork on Monday 20 November 2017. In total, €115,000 was donated to the charities at the event, which was hosted by UCC in the Aula Maxima in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Cork and with special guest Dick Spring in attendance.
Among the beneficiaries was Cork University Foundation, which received a donation towards supporting technological advancements University College Cork in the treatment of oesophageal cancer.
Cork Life Centre received a grant towards their project to make the centre a safer and more open space to talk about mental health. Cork Counselling Services’ grant will be used to continue to provide counselling and psychotherapy to all members of society.
Some of the other organisations receiving grants were Cork ARC Cancer Support House to enable them to provide breast cancer support group programmes, and Irish Dogs for the Disabled who will use their grant to provide training for child partnerships to allow children the gift of walking. A grant was made to Rebel Wheelers Multi Sports Group to provide sports chairs for their junior basketball team and the Diabetes Ireland donation will be used to provide support for the National Diabetes Cup for children with type 1 diabetes. Cork Association for Autism will be using their grant towards providing a ground floor bedroom in their respite facility and Marymount University Hospital and Hospice will use their donation to support their palliative care programme.
Speaking at the reception, Dick Spring celebrated the extraordinary work of all the charities receiving donations from the Hospital Saturday Fund. Mr Spring was attending the event as Patron of Recovery Haven Cancer Support House, and the donation from HSF to Recovery Haven will support their continued provision of free cancer support services to patients.
Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of the Hospital Saturday Fund said: “We are delighted to continue the tradition of supporting many wide-ranging charities in Munster, many of which are less well-known. The Hospital Saturday Fund is honoured to support the efforts of such deserving charities and help in some way towards the exceptional, tireless work that they do in making such a huge and positive difference to people’s lives.”
Cal Healy, Secretary of Cork University Foundation said: “UCC, is delighted to have the opportunity to host the Hospital Saturday Fund for this very special event. The University, like many other Charities in the region has a long standing relationship with the Hospital Saturday Fund and is extremely grateful for its hugely enabling support”.
In 2017 the Hospital Saturday Fund will give €1.2 million in donations and grants to medical charities for care and research, hospices and hospitals across Ireland and the UK. Assistance will also be given to individuals whose illness or disability has caused financial difficulties.
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