A KILKENNY mother, who recently spent time in St Luke’s Hospital Paediatric Ward with her sick child, noticed that facilities available to visiting parents were unsatisfactory and took the unprecedented step of buying new furniture for the hospital h
erself.
During her regular visits to the hospital, Rioghnach Walsh noticed that the Paediatric Ward Parents’ Room was in dire need of new seating, so she took it upon herself to provide it to ensure that other parents of sick children are well looked after in the future.
Rioghnach visited Meubles in Kilkenny where she found a leather suite suitable for the Parents’ Room. Meubles manager, Brid Banville, agreed to supply the furniture at a reduced price and Rioghnach set about organising a collection to raise the remainder of the funds.
Friends of St Luke’s secretary Barbara Schofield said the new furniture was a great asset to the Parents’ Room and everyone was very grateful to Riognach and the people who donated money to the appeal.
Giving
“People were absolutely brilliant, they were very, very giving,” Barbara said. “And Meubles were great as well. When Rioghnach approached them, they took it on board, reduced the price and let us collect the rest at their door.”
Collection buckets were placed in-store and Rioghnach and other volunteers also spent time shaking buckets on weekends. Within three weeks, the fundraising target of f1,000 had been reached and the furniture was purchased and installed in the Parents’ Room.
