We would like to say a big thank you for all your support so far
The following letter that was sent to Mary Harney
Dear Minister,
My daughter is 2 today and she is a joy, and a most wanted, hard won and cherished child. She is awaiting crucial open heart surgery and we are on standby.
Her crèche called me today at work, to tell me that they are very concerned about her increasing symptoms and they are indicating that as her health deteriorates, they will not be able to meet her needs, nor take responsibility for her. This will mean that, as we wait, I shall have to take leave from my job as a secondary school teacher to care for her at home. If this happens, I will not be replaced. My students will be without a teacher for the foreseeable future. My family will also be without a wage.
Her cardiac surgeon let me know, when I phoned in tears, that he had four patients scheduled for surgery yesterday. He and his team were available all day but they could only operate on one patient, as the necessary beds in ICU were not available. The other three childrens’ surgeries were cancelled.
I do not want to scream, badger and demand that my child receive her crucial surgery before any other child in dire need. There are hundreds of families on alert, waiting, hoping, praying and crying for the chance to live and perhaps to have a normal life.
I am begging you to recognise and rectify this ridiculous situation the Government has put us in, by withdrawing the agreed funding for the minimum necessary ICU beds in OLHSC Crumlin. There is a large team of highly qualified professionals standing around unable to work (and save lives) on a weekly bases, and parents like myself unable to do their jobs for the State, because a few nursing and medical posts are not staffed. The economics of this decision does not add up. How much money and resources are being disgracefully wasted by opting for this short sighted measure?
The promise of having an appropriate ICU unit in OLHSC in 18months time is a cruel taunt. What use will that be to us, waiting with extremely sick children, NOW?
We do not have the luxury of envisaging state of the art facilities at the Mater in 2014, whilst we watch our babies and children turn blue and whimper. We just wonder how imminent their death might be.
If this does not speak to you heart, let it speak to your pocket, save money! Fund ICU at OLHSC now and you can clear the outrageous waiting list, allow our world class health professionals save lives (and future expenses on the HSE), allow us do our jobs, but more importantly give these children their birth right and constitutional right.
Make it right NOW. Make it RIGHT now.
Yours truly,
Gemma Lawlor
