9 November 2019
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
(From Left) Eileen Kenny, CNM2 at St. Francis Unit; Liam Gallagher, Therapy Assistant and Nuala Coughlan, CNM3 at the Mercy Urgent Care Centre.
On Saturday, November 16th, staff at the Mercy University Hospital will go head to head as they battle it out in a charity lip sync battle. Taking place in the Rochestown Park Hotel, there’s promised to be some very impressive performances on the night.
As well as the excitement and laughter on the night, the charity lip sync battle will raise vital funds towards developing a new family room in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Mercy University Hospital. The development of a new family room in the Mercy’s ICU will play a vital role in helping to make life that little bit easier for families during such what is such a difficult time.
A number of departments in the Mercy University Hospital will be taking to the stage on the night with acts including the Spice Girls, Tina Turner, Justin Timberlake and many more surprise acts on the night.
Gerard McCarthy has worked as a porter at the Mercy University Hospital for the last 19 years understands first hand how vital a dedicated family room is needed, following the passing of his dear wife Mary in 2017. Commenting ahead of November 16th, Gerry said, “As a person who has sat on both sides of the fence, I see how important it is that we give compassion to the family during this difficult time and this is what a dedicated family room will provide. There urgently needs to be a room in the ICU, so family members can be right next door to their loved one and not sitting on borrowed stools and running down corridors. Families need to be together and to have some privacy where they can talk and gather their thoughts. They need to be able to close the door and shed a tear in private. The care and respect provided by the doctors and nurses in the ICU is amazing but we need this dedicated family room ASAP.”
The Intensive Care Unit and Operating Theatres at the Mercy University Hospital carry out the most invasive procedures and treatments on the sickest patients in the hospital. They care for critically ill patients of every age fighting to regain their health. The ICU department at the Mercy University Hospital also cares for people living outside of Cork and since July this year, approximately 30 of the 126 patients treated in ICU were from outside of Cork.
Anne O’Brien who works in the ICU department has been a nurse at the Mercy University Hospital for the last 20 years. Anne will be taking to the stage on November 16th and will be battling it out for the title. Anne is so passionate about developing a family room in ICU, having had her own personal experience in the ICU. Anne said, “I work with an amazing team of Nurses, Doctors, Health Care Assistants, Catering Staff and allied staff here in the ICU department and we all feel so passionate about providing families with the privacy they need during such a traumatic experience. Families need somewhere to go, which is not far from their loved ones to gather their thoughts and relax during this very stressful time. Unfortunately, I was in their position when my son was critically ill with septicaemia meningitis in this unit when he was 18 years old and luckily, he survived. Having experienced this personally, I really understand the importance of a dedicated family room. When you are experiencing the worst imaginable, you’re not thinking straight and looking after yourself but by having this room, it lets your mind rest while still being near your loved one. I hope as many people as possible can come out and support the lip sync battle on November 16th and enjoy the fun.”
Tickets are now available for the event by visiting www.mercyfundraising.ie or you can donate to your favourite act by visiting https://mercy-lip-sync-battle.everydayhero.com/ie/MHFTeams/members
You can also donate to the Mercy ICU appeal by visiting https://www.mercyfundraising.ie/the-mercy-critical-care-icu-appeal