Jack and Jill nurses extend a lifeline to struggling families

- Róisín McManus -

Communities across Cavan are being called on to walk 100km in September to support the vital work of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation in Cavan.

In collaboration with Life Pharmacy, Jack and Jill hope to raise €100,000 over the month to fund 5,556 hours of in-home nursing care.

For every €18 raised, one hour of vital home nursing care will be provided for children with complex medical needs and their families.

In Cavan, four families are currently receiving support and 48 families have received support from Jack and Jill since the charity was established in 1997.

A family in every parish

“The Jack and Jill Foundation has probably worked with a family in every parish at some point since 1997,” says Anne Reilly, who has been a liaison nurse manager with Jack and Jill since 2004.

Typically, the children supported may be tube fed, oxygen dependent, may not sleep, take seizures, need a lot of medication and require around-the-clock care.

Another key part of the service is end-of-life-care for children, empowering parents to take their child home to die at this most difficult time.

Part of the family

Anne connects families across Cavan, Monaghan, Meath and Louth with Jack and Jill nurses who can provide children and their families with in-home nursing care.“All of our children are life-limited,” Anne tells the Celt. “Our care is totally focused on the family and the child. These children deserve to be at home.”

According to Anne, Jack and Jill nurses meet with families in the hospital before their child is brought home so they can become familiar with them and link in with their needs.“The nurse is a vital cog within their family. Our nurses provide nursing care at home, which gives parents time to do other things; pick up equipment, pharmacy prescriptions, do the shopping, spend time with their other children, go for a hair appointment, meet a friend for coffee - the simple things we all take for granted.

“It makes life simple, gives families back their family life and precious time to recharge their batteries.”

Jack and Jill’s funding depends on public donations and community-led campaigns.

The charity must raise over €7.9M in 2025 to keep vital services going, with around 21.5% of their funding coming from the HSE.

“Whatever is raised in Cavan will go back into the area,” Anne reveals. “We appreciate every single euro.”