Boy with local links features in Heart Children calendar

A boy with strong links to Kilbeggan is featured prominently in the new Heart Children Ireland calendar, available in the town this weekend.

 Hugh Heffernan is part of the 7th year of Heart Children Ireland (HCI) calendar and HCI’s 30th Anniversary edition. It contains photos of children born with congenital heart defects (chd) to raise funds for this worthy charity.

 'Things We Love' is the theme of this year’s calendar, and with that it mind, the fantastic pictures of children with CHD focus on things they love doing and enjoy for each of the twelve months of the year.

Hugh Heffernan, who is the grandson of Gus and Rose Keegan, Kilbeggan, is playing his bodhran is the featured photo for the month of January.

Born in April 2009 with serious congenital heart defects, Hugh underwent surgery at Our Lady's Children’s hospital Crumlin (OLCH) where he spent many weeks recovering before he was allowed home. During that time Hugh’s grandparents looked after his older sister Camille and supported his mother and father Laura & Ainsley through that very difficult and stressful time.

The long-term prognosis for Hugh in those early days were not good. Hugh and other children like him with cardiac disease have a lifetime battle, there is no cure, no permanent fix, just more procedures, medication and constant monitoring. Heart Children Ireland is a nationwide organisation with over 1,000 member families, founded in 1990 they are a registered charity and are a completely voluntary group receiving no Government funding. HCI depend on their own fundraising and donations from individuals and businesses.

Over the last 29 years they have raised in excess of €2.5m euro for the cardiac unit in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. The calendar is an important fundraising event for the charity to date the calendar has raised over €250k for HCI, they have used all of these proceeds to help the children's heart centre in Our Lady's hospital Crumlin & to support the HCI psychology service. 

The calendars Sell for €10 each, every cent goes back to HCI as their sponsor Chill Insurance covers all the print costs and the distribution costs to deliver the calendars to people. Photos are compliments of Wet Nose Photography, Rathdrum, Wicklow and the wonderful efforts of many people.

The Keegan Family will be selling the calendar on Friday, November 22 at Mace Applegreen, Dublin Road, Kilbeggan and on December 8 at Kilbeggan Distillery Open Day,. Your support would be much appreciated. The calendar can also be purchased online. Just visit www.heartchildren.ie and click the buy now button!