Barretstown CEO Dee Ahearn pictured with four year old camper Olivia Killian and Cecelia Ahern
Text WAND to 50300 to donate €2 to Barretstown
The children’s charity Barretstown is launching a major fundraising campaign to allow it continue to rebuild the lives of thousands of children who are coping with serious illness.
Barretstown will provide therapeutic recreation for more than 2,500 children in 2013 alone and will shortly welcome its 25,000th camper since its foundation in 1994. Due to advances in medical treatment more than 80% of children now survive childhood cancer, but the treatment they undergo seriously affects their emotional and psychological development.
Recently published results of research conducted by Yale University School of Medicine in 2012 shows that camps such as Barretstown contribute hugely to the emotional and psychological recovery of children who are or have been seriously ill. Results of a survey of 12 similar camps showed 83% of parents saw an increase in their child’s confidence; 80% reported an increase in self-esteem; 76% reported an increase in maturity; 74% reported an increase in independence; and 72% reported an increased interest in social activities.
“Sick children are often deprived of many of the elements of a normal childhood, while they undergo long and difficult treatment” according to Dee Ahearn, the CEO of Barretstown. “While medical treatment very often produces great results, psychological and developmental issues remain to be dealt with. We work to give children their childhoods back, helping them to develop into well-adjusted adults, and we also work with parents and siblings to give them coping mechanisms and help them plan for the future.”
Barretstown is calling on the public to help raise much needed funds and enable more sick children to experience the magic of camp by texting the word WAND to 50300 to donate €2. 100% of this €2 donation will go directly to Barretstown and help more children with cancer visit camps this year.
Barretstown has provided its programme of therapeutic recreation to over 24,000 campers affected by childhood cancer since 1994. During the 2012-2013 camp season, 254 families from 12 SeriousFun camps (including Barretstown) completed surveys both before and after camp about examining the impact of residential camps on the lives of campers and their families.
Commenting on the research findings, Chief Executive of Barretstown Dee Ahearn said “We’re calling this year’s fundraising campaign ‘Be part of the magic’ because feedback from the children and families who come to Barretstown every year is that their experience was magical and that parents see a real change in their children as a result of the experience. This is backed up by the research from Yale University. These services are provided completely free of charge to children and their families so your donations will help us to welcome more sick children to experience the magic of camp this year.”
The ‘Be part of the magic’ campaign will run throughout the Summer with fundraising drives around the country calling on members of the public to help Barretstown raise the €4.5 million it needs every year to continue to provide these life changing programmes that are entirely free of charge to children and their families.
Donations can be made through the Barretstown website at: www.barretstown.org/donate. Alternatively, a €2 donation can be made by texting the word WAND to 50300.
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Four year old identical twins Olivia and Laura Killian pictured with Cecelia Ahern
