Derry family hosting a fundraising night to raise money for Northern Ireland Children's Hospice

A Derry family is set to host a charity fundraising night to raise money for Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and Love Hope and Faith.

Kathleen and Sean McCallion have arranged the night on March 1 at the Maldron Hotel in Derry to raise the money for the two charities that mean so much to them due to their support for their daughter Seanain.

The family has been using the services of the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice for the past 12 years to help Seanain live her childhood to the fullest.

Kathleen said: “When you walk into the place, you are just in awe of it.

“We fell in love with it. The Children’s Hospital has become a safe haven for us because Seanain doesn’t get to have sleepovers or things like that.

“When Seaninn is going into any of her respite, she loves it; she takes the makeup up, they have parties, and they just give her the best time.

“One of the most important things is to make them feel like they are having a normal childhood. 

“It is real hard for them at times because Seanain knows how complex she is; she needs a ventilator at bedtime; she knows she is complex, but when you go through those doors, you are not treated like you have a disability; you are treated just like anybody else, and the craic they could have is unreal; you just love to get to feel normal, and the children around her may be in the same boat or maybe worse off, but she goes in and just gets to be Seanain.

“Not only do they support the children, they support the family as much as they can, and it is just an amazing thing.”

All money raised on the night at the fundraiser will be split in half between the two charities, with both the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and Love Hope and Faith having helped countless children and families in Derry.

Love Hope and Faith work with children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus across Northern Ireland.

Kathleen said: “It will be so great to be able to give something back to the charities that do so much for some individuals and families in our city.

“We did do a fundraiser five years ago, and we did just raise shy of £10,000. It was the same as the Maldron had kindly donated the room, and then obviously the heart of the town, Derry people are just so kind, so we put a show together and had entertainment Geard Dillon; he was the DJ, and he was fantastic getting the crowd going the whole night, and he will be back doing it this year for us, and the Maldron has kindly donated the room again.”

On March 1, at the event at the Maldron Hotel in Derry, there will be a raffle to win a number of prizes that have been donated from people around the city and Northern Ireland, which include beauty hampers, restaurant vouchers, and hotel stays.

The doors will open at 7:30pm on the night, with people able to buy tickets on the door, and raffle tickets are priced at £2 a strip or 3 strips for £5.

The family has been overwhelmed by the support to this point for the night from businesses and the city as a whole.

Kathleen said: “I am grateful for everyone in the town for the donations that they have made and the prizes they have donated for the night for people to win in the raffle. They are so kind, and it does not go unnoticed, and we are so thankful and privileged to call ourselves Derry people.

“Seanain is such a lovely wee girl, and everyone that meets her sees that she is such a positive wee soul, and it is nice for her on the night to give something back, like she is a social butterfly, and it is great for her to be aware that she is giving something back.”