Cian’s Kennels awarded €20,000 from RTÉ Toy Show Appeal
Cian’s Kennels has been awarded €20,000 from the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal grants for 2022 by the Community Foundation for Ireland.
This grant will fund the expansion of services nationwide and help to change children’s lives throughout Ireland by bringing their pets closer to them while they are sick and/or in hospital.
Evelyn Neary, founder and director of Cian’s Kennels, said: “We are delighted to be awarded these funds raised by the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal. The services of Cian’s kennels aim to enhance the lives of sick children through interaction with their pets, and these funds come at a great time for the charity with the recent opening of the pet visiting centre at CHI at Crumlin.”
About RTÉ Toy Show Appeal Inspired by children
The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal works to bring the magic of the Late Late Toy Show to every child in Ireland. By funding essential support, health, wellbeing, play and creativity we aim to change children’s lives for good.
The donations to the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, are received and managed by registered charity, The Community Foundation for Ireland, with whom the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal works in partnership.
For more information about The Community Foundation for Ireland, please see here:
The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal will return for a third year and will be a part of the Late Late Toy Show on Friday November 25, 2022.
The list of organisations that received grants is here.
From the Cian’s Kennels website
Our story
Cian’s Kennels is a charitable organisation set up in March 2020 in memory of Cian Neary, our beloved 15-year-old son.
Cian loved life generally – his love of fine food, socialising with his friends and joy found in sports and team games was clear to all who knew him but his greatest love was animals, of all shapes and sizes!
Our world fell apart when Cian was diagnosed with hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma in September 2018. While in hospital in the early days of diagnosis we asked him if there was anything we could get him to make him feel better. We already knew the answer!!….. and a few weeks later Cooper, a gorgeous golden Labrador puppy joined our other dog and cat as part of our animal family.
Cian and cooper
Cian was on various treatments over the next 6 months and because he was spending a lot of time at home the bond between him and Cooper strengthened. Time spent with Cooper, exercising and training him became the highlight of his days at home in between hospital stays and treatments.
Cian was about to commence on the road to bone marrow transplant when he became very ill in June 2019 and spent the next 3 months in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, with the family based at Ronald McDonald House for most of this time.
When in hospital, Cian pined for Cooper. With the support and goodwill of many people and organisations, we managed to bring Cooper to Dublin and base him in kennels near the hospital.
Cian visited Cooper most days, and we cannot overstate the positive impact this had for Cian. Cian remained in hospital and on treatment until the last week of his life, and having Cooper based near the hospital allowed him to enjoy many occasions and outings in Dublin knowing Cooper was safe nearby.
For us, as a family, these outings and the time Cian spent with Cooper became the basis of lasting, precious memories for us when Cian sadly lost his battle for life in the early hours of September 23, 2019.
We experienced first-hand the joy Cooper brought Cian and us during the most difficult days. We have also experienced the impact of childhood illness and extended hospital stays have on the families involved.
The Cian’s Kennels story was born with Cian in Summer 2019 when Cooper arrived in Dublin. We now hope to continue that journey in Cian’s memory by bringing pets closer to sick children and their families.
Further details of our plans and our fundraising efforts to follow so watch this space!
His story has not ended…
Evelyn and Enda Neary