Today marks the beginning of Children’s Hospice Week 2026 (17th – 23rd May), the only week of the year dedicated to raising awareness of children’s hospice and palliative care in Ireland.
This year’s theme is “Every Minute Matters, Every Child Counts – because every little life deserves big moments.” It reflects the precious nature of time for families living with a child who has a life-limiting condition and highlights exactly what we strive to do every day at LauraLynn.
Challenging the Misconceptions
To coincide with the launch, recent research conducted on our behalf has revealed a significant misunderstanding: one in three members of the Irish public mistakenly believes that children’s hospice care is solely for end-of-life.
This misconception really matters. When most people hear the word “hospice”, they naturally think of the end. For parents already dealing with the reality of a child’s serious illness, that association can make the idea of accepting hospice care feel overwhelming. But children’s palliative care is about helping children live their childhood as fully as possible, from the point of diagnosis and often for many years.
Helping Families be Families
Seven-year-old Cillian Behan’s family, from Dublin, knows first-hand the difference early access to LauraLynn can make. Cillian began his journey with us when he became unwell at just 16 months old. Like many parents, his mother Pauline and father Keith didn’t initially realise this kind of help was available to them.
“Having LauraLynn in our lives takes a huge amount of stress and worry away,” says Cillian’s father, Keith. “Knowing we have that support makes such a difference, and every time Cillian comes back from LauraLynn, he’s happy – you can really see the difference in him.”
By easing the worry of complex medical care, we aim to give parents, grandparents, and siblings the space to simply be a family—whether that means enjoying a movie night, taking part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade, or connecting with others at our targeted sibling camps.
Expanding our Care Nationwide
Since opening over 14 years ago, LauraLynn has cared for more than 1,000 children and their families. To ensure that everyone has access to our support when and where they need it, we are currently experiencing a significant period of growth. Our Community Teams have expanded beyond our Leopardstown hospice, now operating in Mallow to serve the Munster region, and in Ballinasloe to serve the West, Northwest, and Midlands.
A Message from our CEO
LauraLynn CEO, Kerry McLaverty, wanted to share a special message regarding the true meaning behind Children's Hospice Week:
“This Children’s Hospice Week, we want people to understand that hospice care is about living. It’s about ensuring every child counts, every minute matters, and every family feels supported – no matter where they are on their journey.”
How You Can Help
Every child’s life, however long, is made up of moments. We encourage the public to support Children’s Hospice Week 2026 by learning more about children’s palliative care and helping us challenge the myths.
Join the conversation this week and help us ensure that no family misses out on the care, compassion, and memories they deserve.
