by Alan Jacques
Picture: Keith Wiseman
LIMERICK people are being urged to help raise €1 million to make dreams a reality for over 12,000 sick and disabled children in the Mid-West.
After bringing a little magic into the lives of 24,500 children in the last 25 years, the Limerick-based Share A Dream Foundation has now embarked on its biggest venture yet.
Currently being built at Park Point on the Dublin Road, Dreamland will be Ireland’s first ever fully accessible and all-inclusive play centre for sick and disabled children and their siblings. Designed to reflect a child’s idea of a magical place, it is envisaged that this project will provide a haven for children to have fun and let their imagination run wild.
“All children have a right to play and it’s essential to their all-round emotional and physical wellbeing, especially for children with a disability,” Share A Dream founder Shay Kinsella explained.
“However, if you visit any playground or play centre in Ireland and see the total lack of inclusive play opportunities available to disabled children to play, it is non-existent. This is heartbreaking for the disabled child, siblings and parent, as having a disabled child is a disabled family. Please, help us change this,” he pleaded.
The charity are now calling on the Limerick and Mid-West community to get behind this wonderful project and help make a difference in the lives of over the 12,000 disabled children in this region.
With the support of the HSE, JP McManus Foundation, Department of Children and the goodwill of countless volunteers, this project is now at the halfway point. But more is needed.
“We’ve raised € 1 million ourselves but we still need to raise another million. We know that the Limerick people have big hearts and will want to see this project completed.
“It’s a wonderful good news story for Limerick reaching out a hand of love and friendship and showing thousands of sick and disabled children that they are not forgotten in Limerick and we care deeply,” said Shay.
Share a Dream are now asking people, from children to workers to corporate heads, to help them recognise the “right to play for all children” by joining the #Dreamland Challenge. To make a donation or for details on sponsoring an event email [email protected]. Alternatively, text ‘BEEP’ to 50300 and donate €4.
