Help for families: Families with elderly parents or young children in hospital will be spared arduous journeys to and from Co Cork with the opening of an €8 million overnight "home from home" centre.
Bru Columbanus House in Bishopstown near Cork University Hospital on the southside of the city will offer free accommodation to families of long-term and critically ill patients.
The objective of Bru Columbanus is to provide accommodation and a caring welcoming environment for families at a stressful time. Bru Columbanus House has 24 family rooms with en-suite facilities, spacious living rooms, kitchen and dining facilities, recreation rooms, counselling rooms and a prayer room.
The first of its kind in Ireland, the centre was funded by the Knights of Columbanus and the Department of Health and Children. The site in Cardinal Way, Bishopstown, was donated by Cork City Council and the Health Service Executive Southern Area.
Bru Columbanus is an independent charity and will depend on donations and fundraising to meet the estimated annual running cost of €500,000.
"Many families have to travel long distances to visit family members in hospital, and we hope Bru Columbanus will provide the necessary support for them in times of emotional crisis. This service will give peace of mind to both patients and family members and reduce the financial burden on people," said Bru Columbanus chairman, Mr Jim Leahy.
The house will be open to families regardless of eco nomic, social or religious status.
The prayer room at Bru Columbanus is dedicated to the memory of British youngster Aaron Kiely whose untimely death in 1993 was the inspiration behind the development of the project.
Aaron, whose parents come from Cork, was a cancer patient in Bristol Children's Hospital in the UK.
While he was receiving treatment there the facilities of a house, similar to Bru Columbanus, were offered to his family and relations.
The official opening of the centre was performed yesterday by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin.