‘It’s such a magical day’: Celebrating Cork’s most courageous children

Now in its 19th year, the initiative will see families transported in style from Nemo Rangers to Páirc Uí Chaoimh through a convoy of vintage cars and emergency service vehicles on December 3 and 4. 

Here they will rub shoulders with Disney characters and enjoy other fun activities before a meet and greet with the man of the moment, Santa.

James’s mother Eimear and three-year-old brother JJ will also have the chance to join in the festivities after a difficult two years.

The family has come a long way since two-week old James fought for his life in Children’s Health Ireland in Crumlin.

James was initially taken to Cork University Maternity Hospital in late October of 2022, as he was refusing to feed. 

A lumber puncture detected neonatal sepsis which results from a life-threatening response to infection. 

James was then transferred to Children’s Health Ireland in Crumlin where he was diagnosed through further tests with MMSA Bacteremia. 

“James went to CUH [Cork University Hospital] at 14 days old,” Eimear told the Irish Examiner. 

“By 19 days old he was in the ICU. 

“When the twentieth day came he was in a medically-induced coma and intubated. 

“When we asked what his chances were, we were told this was as life threatening as things could get. 

“He had to be placed into a medically-induced coma for a few days. 

I’ll never forget the day he kicked his legs. It was the stuff of dreams. It’s a miracle he came through it all. He really is one in a million.

Eimear says James really had to battle to survive. 

“The mortality rate for babies with sepsis is between 40% and 60% so when you hear of sepsis in a newborn it’s frightening. 

“His case was severe. Then he started to move his arms and legs. 

“It wasn’t a straight road home but these things comes with their peaks and valleys and you just have to roll with it. 

“Slowly, but surely, he made it back from ICU to the ward. 

“My husband Jack and I kept each other strong. We also had great family support. All we could do was take things day by day.  We celebrated anything positive that the day brought. If the day brought a hurdle we got through it and moved on.” 

Eimear and her family struck up a lifelong friendship with the nurses in the Ladybird Ward of CUH where James was a patient.

“They made it less scary for us. After a while it wasn’t like we were even taking him to hospital. We were just going to meet the girls. They genuinely have become like family. 

“They were almost fighting over who would take care of James even though he was such a complex case. 

“Two weeks ago the nurses from the ward rang us and told us we had been nominated for the Christmas event. 

“We couldn’t believe it and kept asking if they were sure they wanted to nominate us.” 

Eimear said she is looking forward to celebrating James’s first Christmas with a clean bill of health and his nomination means so much to her and the whole family.

“To have this level of normality is indescribable for someone who hasn’t had it their whole life. Getting to see him live a life we never thought he’d have is the best feeling in the world.” 

James has defied the odds in terms of his recovery.

“Every single consultant can’t believe this is James. They had never seen such a widely spread case of MMSA in a baby. This was paired with a kidney issue so it all culminated in a very intense scenario. 

“Two of his ribs never grew post infection and he has just 20% function in his left kidney. 

“Since the infection impacted his limbs, his growth has to be closely monitored. 

“You would not realise any of this to look at him. It’s amazing to think that babies can come through this much of a fight and not even be aware of it.” 

Meanwhile, Carolann Quilligan, who lives in Cork City, says she was extremely touched to see her 14-month-old daughter Lucy nominated for the festive event alongside eight-year-old sister Hazel. 

It comes at a worrying time for the family as Lucy with metopic craniosynostosis — a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in the skull prematurely fuses, altering the growth of the skull. 

The little girl will undergo intensive reconstructive surgery early next year to facilitate the growth of the skull.

“If she doesn’t have the surgery the brain won’t grow,” Carolann said. 

“It’s something you can have done when you’re older but the longer you wait the more difficult it is. 

“If Lucy doesn’t get this done she will look a lot different to the other kids.

“I’ve heard of teenagers who haven’t had it done who ended up suffering mentally because of the bullying they endured. 

“That’s not something you can fix. She is a girl and there is so much pressure now with photographs and social media. 

“We’ve had to acknowledge that there’s no avoiding this.” 

She said the Cork City Hospitals Children’s Club event came as a welcome distraction during a worrying period.

“When we found out how serious this was and the benefits, we realised how important it was to give our daughter a normal start in life. 

“It took time to process and it was very upsetting at the start. Then we just said to ourselves, “yes, let’s just get this done.” 

“There has been so much uncertainty since she was born but we know she will be resilient to it.” 

Carolann and her husband Mark had known about the Cork City Hospitals Children’s Club charity before their kids were born.

“My husband has a tattoo shop and he did a lot of fundraising for the Cork City Hospitals Children’s Club before Lucy was even born so our connection with them has always been there. 

“We were really honoured to have been chosen to be part of their Christmas event.” 

Cork Siblings Elayna, 7, and four-year-old Alex O’Sullivan, who were born with Glanzmann thrombasthenia, are also looking forward to the big day. 

The hereditary blood clotting disorder they suffer from is one of the rarest conditions in the world and results in abnormal and excessive bleeding.

While the medical challenges are endless — a seemingly innocuous nosebleed can result in up to 60% of blood loss in the body — Cian and his wife Nikki are determined to create as many positives experiences for their children as possible. 

Their father Cian explains: “Alex’s condition is a lot more severe than his sister’s. Alex can get bleeds which escalate out of nowhere. Each time this happens we either need to get emergency care at home or bring him into hospital. 

“We have no idea how severe his case is versus anyone around the globe as the condition is so rare. All we have to go on is our own circumstances. 

“It has been a particularly terrible year for Alex so we are really delighted to have this event to look forward to. 

“Things are great in many ways. They both go to a mainstream school. Alex loves playing outside with his friends. You are that bit reserved with him because one fall can end up being a really big deal. 

“However, we have to let them be normal kids because that is what they are.” 

This will be the family’s second time attending the event.

“Christine is one of the nurses in the Puffin ward at CUH and she nominated us. Even for the adults this is a special day. We have been to the event before and it was such a magical day from the minute we arrived there and were met by the fire brigade. 

Anything extra we can give the children that brings them joy is always really appreciated.

John Looney founded the Cork City Hospitals Children’s Club after being inspired by his own children, Pamela, Noelle, Clodagh, and Karen, who are now grown up.

His daughter, Pamela, was born with two tumours on her spine and as a little girl embarked on a trip with another organisation.

John was determined to set up a charity of his own to make memories for even more Cork kids.

His children are now volunteers with the charity and accompany him on trips and at events. 

The charity offers an annual holiday as well as a Christmas Day out to kids touched by illness or emotional trauma who are in need of a break.