Direct Funding

When a child is in hospital long-term, parents must manage the financial burden of maintaining both home and hospital life.

The expense of travel, accommodation, etc, can be considerable. And when parents are unable to work due to their child’s illness, the everyday bills still need to be met and the other little ones in the family need to be cared for.

Heart Children provides direct funding to support parents and adolescents with CHD as follows:

General Fund

Heart Children offers financial support to parents who are struggling to cope with the additional costs associated with their child being in hospital long-term. If you would like to find out more about accessing this support while you are in CHI Crumlin, please talk to your Clinical Nurse Specialist or a member of the Medical Social Work Team in the Children’s Heart Centre.

Applications for Heart Children funding must be made through the Social Work Team. Unfortunately, we do not accept direct applications.

Blue Ribbon Fund

This is a restricted fund, set up under the auspices of Heart Children to provide financial support to families whose child is on the heart transplant journey to the UK. It was established in 2014 by the Moran Family, in memory of their daughter, Elaine, whose favourite colour was blue.

Heart transplantation for paediatric patients is not available in Ireland. Under the HSE’s Treatment Abroad Scheme, the State will fund the cost of the procedure in the UK, plus hospital-based parent accommodation and travel expenses for the child and one parent. All other expenses must be met by the family. This can place a considerable financial burden on families. The Blue Ribbon Fund supports:

    • Families whose child is awaiting transplant in the care of CHI Crumlin.
    • Families who relocate temporarily to London/Newcastle while their child is having transplant surgery.
    • Families whose child is in the care of CHI Crumlin and requires complex surgery in the United Kingdom/Europe/United States of America.

 

Applications for support from the Blue Ribbon Fund must be made to us by a Clinical Nurse Specialists/Medical Social worker at the Children’s Heart Centre, CHI Crumlin. Unfortunately, we do not accept direct applications.

Paul Gillen Fund

Supports young people making the transition from paediatric care in CHI Crumlin to Adult CHD Care in the Mater Hospital, Dublin at age 16.

Paul Gillen was a young man from Ballyroan in Dublin. He lived his short life battling CHD but, sadly, Paul passed away suddenly in his early twenties. Grieving his immense loss, his family established the Paul Gillen Fund to support other young people with CHD. The PG Fund supports adolescents (age 16-20 yrs) who are making the difficult transition from the familiar environment of CHI Crumlin that they have grown-up with, to attending adult CHD care in the Mater Hospital. The fund aims to support adolescents with the practical and emotional challenges of starting independent life while managing their illness.

Applications for support from the fund must be made by a Clinical Nurse Specialist/Medial Social worker at the Children’s Heart Centre, CHI Crumlin, or the Adult CHD Unit, Mater Hospital, Dublin. Unfortunately, we do not accept direct applications.

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