Presentation to Julie Wren Trust

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Funds Raised at Kilmacud Crokes Hurling Punchestown Corporate Race Day April 2012

 Presentation to Julie Wren Trust

In Photo (from L to R): Olive Sweeney (OLCHC), Esther Wren, Peter Walsh, Teresa Slevin (OLCHC), Dympna Cawley (OLCHC).

Kilmacud Crokes Hurling presents a cheque to the 'Julie Wren Trust'. 

The presentation was made in The Shelbourne Hotel before the Irish Healthcare Awards on Thursday Novemeber 1st, where the The Julie Wren Trust received a commendation award on the night.

Peter Walsh, Chairman of the Kilmacud Crokes Hurling Committee presented a cheque for €1,100 to Esther Wren who established the Julie Wren Trust in 2011, C/O St Johns Ward, Our Ladys Childrens Hospital Crumlin (OLCHC).

The funds were raised from the Auction at the Punchestown Corporate Race Day in April 2012 and Kilmacud Crokes Hurling are delighted to make this presentation to The Julie Wren Trust.

 JULIE WREN TRUST

The idea came to her in a dream following the death of her daughter from cancer.

Esther Wren decided to create a 'relaxation haven' in her daughter's memory for young chemotherapy patients and their parents in a busy hospital.

In 2011, Esther launched a trust in the name of her daughter Julie (8), who died in 1993 after undergoing extensive treatment at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin.

Mrs Wren, who lost her husband Johnny to pancreatic cancer five years after the death of her only child, told how a vision of children out playing in a field had led her to fundraise for the specialised room.

It is decorated with trees offering aromatherapy, reflexology and Indian head massage for the children to aid in the relief of side effects from their chemotherapy treatments. 

"Julie was an inspiration. She lived life to the full," Mrs Wren, who had lived on their dairy farm in Athboy, Co Meath, said.

"Johnny told me to sell the farm before he died as he said it would only be a burden to me.  "I asked Julie and Johnny what did they want. I had a dream that night that there was a field of children in Crumlin out playing from St John's ward and living life to the full. That is where it came about." 

Mrs Wren has used the money from the sale of the farm and now lives simply to fund the trust.

In addition to the new therapy room at the oncology unit St John's Ward, the Julie Wren Trust also aids parents with special circumstances and assists with palliative care at home.

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