Welcome to my VHI Women's Mini Marathon 2023 challenge page. I am taking part in this challenge to support the little patients and the staff in Children's Health Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres.

When our Son Axel was born in May 2022, we were told we would need to go to Crumlin’s hospital for children. Like any parents, we were overwhelmed with emotions as to what laid ahead.

From our first visit to Crumlin, we could not have received better care, support and empathy from every single member of staff we have met.

The care he has received from a number of medical teams, particularly Professor Alan Irvine, has been life changing for Axel. Each time we are in Crumlin, we feel like we are in the best possible place for our son. Any worries we have before each visit are quickly forgotten when we meet the nurses who have became our friends and greet us every time with a excited salute of ‘oh my god, my Kerry boy Axel is here’

CHI Crumlin is a truly special place with special people, from the patients, the staff and the parents. It has provided us with a child-centred, home-from-home environment for Axel in hospital and ensures that he has access to the very best facilities, services and equipment when he needs it most.

Each and every day across CHI hospitals and urgent care centres in Connolly, Crumlin, Tallaght and Temple Street, sick children and their worried parents like ourselves are coming through the doors in need of world-class paediatric care and treatment.

We will never be able to repay the care Axel has received and will continue to receive.

I will take part in the VHI woman’s mini marathon on June 4th 2023 in hope to fundraise for Children's Health Foundation Ireland.

If you can, please join me in supporting the essential, urgent and life-saving work and make a real and lasting difference in the lives of sick children.

Please donate what you can to help give every sick child every chance and give back to the people who have given us so much and continue to do so for kids like Axel!

This is the power of your support.

Thank you!

Sarah Curtin