The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Kerry donors’ efforts pay one massive dividend as Hospice receives €2.4m towards new unit
THOUSANDS of Kerry people who raised and donated money in connection with the Kerry Hospice over the past nine years were the subject of heartfelt praise this week as the fruits of their generosity were presented in a move that will allow the Foundation bring its new 15-bed inpatient unit at University Hospital Kerry almost to completion.
Building on the €6.2 million new unit is well underway with part of the structure already roofed. It is hoped it will be open and serving the people of the county by the end of the year, or the start of 2017 at the latest.
That deadline is now almost guaranteed after the Kerry Hospice Building Committee - under consultant surgeon Mr Tom McCormack - received a cheque for €2,426,938.76 on Thursday from the KHF’s fundraising committee under Hospice Chairman Ted Moynihan.
“We are so grateful to everyone who volunteered to raise funds through different events and to those who donated to the campaign. It was their efforts that allowed us construct the new inpatient unit and present Thursday’s cheque in a great milestone for the charity,” Kerry Hospice Foundation Chairman Ted Moynihan told The Kerryman.
Good Friday walks, sunflower days, flag days, coffee mornings and the annual Hospice Christmas card campaign were among the events that raised the big figure over the past nine years.
“There is still another €2 million to go in covering the costs of the building and we have also committed to raising €400,000 a year for the first five years towards its operating costs, but we’ve much closer the goal this week.”
One of the next big events for the Hospice is the raffling of an in-calf heifer at Dingle Mart on November 4 next, organised by the Ashe family of Lispole after they were touched by bereavement earlier this year - another event that will no doubt garner great support among the people of the county.