Former Boxer Bernard Dunne Leads ‘Walk a Mile for Cappagh Kids’
Children from across Ireland came together to ‘Walk a Mile for Cappagh Kids’ and raise funds for a cause near and dear to their hearts. The funds raised from the ‘Walk a Mile’ event will help open the doors of Cappagh Kids, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital’s new Department of Paediatric Orthopaedic care. The walk was led by special guest Bernard Dunne, Former World Champion Boxer and High-performance Director of Irish Athletic Boxing Association and took place on Sunday 17th November 2019.
Each clinic within Cappagh Kids will be equipped and designed specially with children and young people in mind, creating an environment for younger patients from all over Ireland that is welcoming and their own.
Speaking on the importance of children having a dedicated space for consultation, Mr Connor Green, Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital said: “Children need a fun and magical experience. Instead of children not wanting to come to see the doctor, we’d like for them to not want to leave. We are doing this by creating a child centred wonderland, unrecognizable as a clinical environment. Complete with themed rooms and a playground, funding is the only limit to our ambitions. Cappagh Kids is more than a building, it’s a family of staff, patients and supporters where together we dream of things that never were and ask, why not?”
Safe from the rain, the event took place in Sport Ireland’s state of the art indoor athletics track at the National Sports Campus. Participants and supporters on the day included patients and staff of Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital and their friends and families as well as both long term and new supporters of Cappagh Hospital Foundation.
Children who attend Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital receive treatment for scoliosis, limb reconstruction, perthes, and tumours among other orthopaedic conditions. While Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital is a centre of excellence for orthopaedic care, now because of the hard work of Mr. Green and the specialised paediatric medical team, these patient services can develop and grow thanks to the generosity of donors through the Foundation.
“The development of a dedicated paediatric unit for our younger patients is a key part of the Hospital’s Infrastructural Development Strategy and we are so very grateful for the support which the hospital is receiving from donors through Cappagh Hospital Foundation. With the growth in the paediatric service in recent years, this child friendly space will greatly enhance our paediatric patient experience while under our care.” said Angela Lee, CEO, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital.
Many of those who couldn’t make it to Dublin are held their own ‘Walk a Mile for Cappagh Kids’ across the country. Cappagh Hospital Foundation encourages anyone who would like to help to host their own ‘Walk A Mile for Cappagh Kid’s’, anytime, anyplace, anywhere and help fundraise to contact Valeria@chf.ie.
