Bray Lions Club

Rachel Casey named as
Bray Lions Club's Young Ambassador
for 2017-2018

Rachel is pictured with Frank Corr, Young Ambassador Programme Coordinator for Bray Lions Club.

Listen to Rachel on the
Ryan Tubridy Show on RTE Radio 1
(January 2018)

Scroll to 16:45 to hear Rachel

When Rachel Casey was three years old she was diagnosed with leukaemia and spent almost three years receiving treatment at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. Now a 5th year student Rachel has set up her very own project, 'Crumlin's bundle of fun', to give something back to the hospital.

The project is a twofold. People can donate unopened children's toys or they can donate unopened toiletries which will be donated to Crumlin hospital. Rachel's plan with the donated toiletries is to make grooming kits for people who may find themselves having to rush in to the hospital on short notice.

"When I was in hospital a couple of times I was rushed in and you didn’t really have time to pack." Rachel said. "I used to share a room with someone from Kerry, and if she was rushed up she'd have to buy new things every time because she lived too far away from the hospital." Rachel recalls how her Mum used to sleep beside her when in Crumlin and believes it is "important to think about the other people in the situation because it’s not only the patient that has to stay in the hospital."

Since her project's inception Rachel has been overwhelmed by the response to her efforts, "At the start I wasn't expecting to get as much of a response as I did. I thought I'd just collect a couple of toys and I'd bring them in to the hospital myself." Three radio appearances, one on the Ryan Tubridy show, have helped Rachel get the word out about her project.

No stranger to giving back Rachel has, for a number of years now, been giving her time to a number of different local voluntary organisations including Greystones Cancer Support- “"hey helped me when I was sick. When I was better I'd come and do little bits. On a coffee morning I might bake and I'd sell raffle tickets."

Through her volunteering Rachel received two awards last year, both special achievements awards. One through the Garda Youth Awards and the other was presented at the Greystones People of the Year awards.

Rachel believes her project is something different, "I haven't heard many people doing stuff like this. I've had the experience of going in to Crumlin hospital and being in those wards and I'm really passionate about it. Giving back is like nothing you can really describe. It's not like receiving a present. When you see people being happy for something that you've done for them it’s something really special."

You can donate to this very worthy cause on the link below


or by donating materials directly to Rachel.
She can be contacted through the above Facebook page.