Donegal footballer, Niamh McLaughlin, is urging people to become charitable All-Stars for a great local cause this summer and go ‘Up the Hill for Jack and Jill’.
Simply identify a local hill or mountain to suit your fitness and ability, and invite family, friends, neighbours, or colleagues to join in on the fun.
Each €18 registration fee will help fund one hour of in-home nursing care and end-of-life support for children with highly complex and life-limiting medical conditions, up to the age of six years.
This year’s ‘Up the Hill for Jack and Jill” is the 9th annual and is kindly supported by the global healthcare company, Abbott.
Organisers are hoping to raise over €75,000 for Jack and Jill’s vital services – equivalent to 4,167 hours of in-home nursing care and respite support – which is a lifeline for over 400 families currently availing of the service across the country.
For Donegal footballer and GPA member, Niamh McLaughlin, every game is an endurance test. But the endurance capacity of Jack and Jill families in supporting their children day in, day out, is next-level.
“Jack and Jill is a gift of time for so many families who face very tough challenges in their home life,” she said
“These families have a massive amount of resilience, but they need, and deserve, a break to enable them to recharge and face the next challenge.
“As a proud member of the Gaelic Players Association, I’m inviting our wonderful community of players and supporters to go Up the Hill with Jack and Jill, and the GPA, this summer, as we support these inspiring families who just need a helping hand every once in a while, from their Jack and Jill nurse.”
Carmel Doyle, CEO of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, said going ‘Up the Hill for Jack and Jill’ is a really valuable way to support the uphill challenge faced by Jack and Jill families in their daily lives.
“We are delighted to have the support of Niamh McLaughlin in encouraging people to go the extra mile for this year’s Up the Hill for Jack and Jill campaign,” she said.
“As with the GAA, Jack and Jill is all about community.
“We know there is no care like home care for a Jack and Jill child, and we want to do everything that we can to support parents in caring for their child at home in their communities, where they belong.
“I hope people will come together for our extra-special Jack and Jill children to show them how much they care and to help make parents feel a little less isolated and alone in raising a child with highly complex medical needs.”
Site Director with Abbott, Conor Murphy, said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to helping local communities.
“We have been inspired by Jack and Jill’s commitment to providing compassionate care to children and their families right across Ireland,” he said.
“We are excited to contribute to their vital work once again this year.”
For more information or to register for ‘Up the Hill for Jack and Jill’ 2023, visit www.jackandjill.ie, email info@jackandjill.ie or call 045 894538.
Follow on social media at: Facebook @JackandJillFoundation, Twitter @JackandJillCF, Instagram @JackandJillCF, LinkedIn @The Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, #SupportLocal, #DonateLocal, #CommunityMatters, #UptheHill23.
