OUR LADY’S CHILDREN’S Hospital, Crumlin is Ireland’s largest paediatric hospital and cares for children from all over the country.

Treating some of Ireland’s bravest patients, the hospital is constantly growing and evolving to ensure the children are getting the best care and experience possible while they are at the hospital.

Mark Stedman / Photocall ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall ireland / Photocall ireland

1. Crumlin Children’s Hospital will celebrate its 60th birthday in 2016.

The hospital was built on land given by the Archbishop of Dublin and opened in 1956.

Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

2. It is the only hospital in Ireland where children can have heart surgery.

Over 500 children undergo major heart surgery in Crumlin every year.

At the opening of the dedicated Children's Heart Centre. cmrf.org cmrf.org

3. There are over one thousand members of staff at the hospital.

And every year they care for average over 30,000 emergency cases, over 17,000 day cases, nearly 10,000 inpatients, close to 75,000 outpatients and they perform over 10,000 surgical procedures.

Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

4. And one of these members of staff is the resident Play Specialist.

There is even a whole Play Department. Being able to play during their stay in hospital allows children to continue that aspect of their normal life and it can help them to become more at ease with their new surroundings.

Playing also helps children who are sick to express themselves while learning about their illness and treatments at the same time.

Playroom in the hospital. PlusArchitecture PlusArchitecture

5. Fancy sending a card to someone you know in the hospital?

You can do so for free on the hospital website. You can choose to send a personalised e-card to the patient you know and the hospital staff will print it off and deliver it right to their bed.

olchc.ie olchc.ie

6. They have a dedicated Children’s Heart Centre and a den especially for teenage patients.

These two new specialised areas were made possible through the work and fundraising of the Children’s Medical & Research Foundation (CMRF).

Outside of the Heart Centre. Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

7. And they are not stopping there.

CMRF Crumlin is the principal fundraising body for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin and they are in the process of  fundraising for a new state of the art Outpatients Department for the hospital.

Ronald McDonald House provides accommodation and a caring, supportive environment for families of patients. Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland Mark Stedman / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

The Children’s Medical & Research Foundation is there to improve the lives of sick children now and in the future. CMRF Crumlin supports the hospital in providing the best care possible by being there for the children and their families. This is done through funding state of the art facilities, infrastructure and entertainment for the children as well as accommodation and services for their families. CMRF Crumlin also established the National Children’s Research Centre (NCRC) which is at the heart of paediatric research in Ireland. 

For more information or to get involved with the CMRF see www.cmrf.org.