The kind care you give…continued

“We’re trying to meet them in their space, and support them at home”
says Olga Buckley, CUH Paediatric Oncology Outreach ANP. The aim is to keep these children out of the hospital. “We can provide expert care at home.”
Cancer comes with a many worries. Allowing a child to be treated at home means greater comfort for the child, fewer expenses for the parents, and less
disruption for other children in the family. All of that eases their worries through a difficult time. Home care also lowers the risks of acquired infections at the hospital. Children are better able to keep up with schoolwork, and families can go on with the most normal lives they can.

How the program started
It was a little more than twenty years ago. Olga Buckley had been in London, working in a fairly big medical centre. “In Ireland, we were bringing families
and children in for absolutely every single small thing. But there was POONS (Paediatric Oncology Outreach Nursing
Service) in the UK. She set up the service here in Ireland. Since childhood cancer is thankfully rare, she and another nurse are able to care for patients in Cork County. Currently, it’s only available in Cork.

“It’s been a game changer.” Olga thinks of the service as “fitting cancer into life, not life into cancer.” And she’s eager to see the service happen nationwide.
Parents who have benefited from the service are thrilled. “Every time Laura has to go to hospital it’s a reminder she is sick… there aren’t any reminders in the house and that’s really important to give her mentally a break.”
Parents note that the service is also wonderful for siblings. “They are not put second anymore. There were times when they were put second and third and
fourth and fifth.” “They gave us hope.”

Children receiving better care – with your help
This innovative program, the only one of its kind in Ireland, will now operate from CUH. That’s only possible thanks to generous people like you.
For every family, every child, thank you!