The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, will turn the sod on the Sunflower Children’s Hospice in Castlebar next month, marking a major step towards the development of Ireland’s first children’s hospice outside Dublin.
The facility is being developed by Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation and will provide specialist palliative care for children with life-limiting conditions and support for their families across eight counties, from Donegal to Limerick.
Construction is expected to begin in January 2027, with the hospice due to welcome its first patients in 2029.
Nine million euro has been raised towards the 20-million-euro project since plans were announced in November last year. Fundraising is continuing to secure the remaining 11 million euro.
The 36,000-square-foot facility has been designed with input from families and healthcare professionals. Plans include eight en-suite bedrooms with private garden or patio access, four family accommodation suites, sensory rooms and gardens, dedicated spaces for children and young adults, education facilities and quiet rooms.
A hydrotherapy pool and other features have also been incorporated following feedback from families who will use the service.