It's Life Changing

An integral part of Barretstown's ethos is to provide support for all the family, not just the child who has been diagnosed. Delivered through family, sibling and kids/teens camps Barretstown's unique programme is tailored to address each group's differing feelings and concerns.

Here the Smith family from Lissaviron, Annestown, Co. Waterford describe their journey and how Barretstown changed their lives. Georgia was just 3 years old when she was diagnosed with a neuroblastoma, a highly malignant tumor in September 2007. Her younger brother Daniel had just turned 2.

It is devastating to think that something as serious as cancer can happen to a child but unfortunately that happened to Shane and Sinead Smith. In their own words, "It is something that no parent should ever have to hear! The first week is the hardest once you are told your child has cancer. Things just happened so fast with Georgia starting intensive chemotherapy straight away followed by a stem cell transplant and several sessions of radiotherapy. It doesn’t end when you come home from hospital as you have to administer medication at home during a nightmarish twelve month period."

"Thankfully survival rates are increasing due to advances in treatment and the fantastic team at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin were able to cure Georgia following this extensive treatment process. We can't thank them enough for saving our child and for having so much patience and understanding of our needs during her treatment. It’s funny you learn a whole new vocabulary full of medical terminology when your child becomes ill."

"The hospital can cure a child physically but Barretstown cures the spirit of the child and the family as a whole. It helped Georgia to just be a child again. Looking back Georgia's diagnosis affected our while family in so many ways. Indeed upon diagnosis our role as parents changed and we were no longer just mum or dad we were also nurse, physiotherapist and nutritionist whilst constantly watching over Georgia with a thermometer in one hand and a packed suitcase in the other, ready to rush back to hospital with the slightest sign of a temperature or infection."


Looking back we know it must have also affected Daniel (Georgia's brother). We did our best to protect him during the treatment period but it is almost impossible for it not to impact on him. He had to get used to us rushing off at the drop of a hat and concentrating on Georgia's health. We knew he was in good hands but inevitably it greatly impacted him when we left him behind so often.

That all changed when we went to Barretstown as suddenly he was able to come with us. Barretstown Family camp restored and rejuvenated us all as a family unit. The Caras (volunteers) take care of absolutely everything from the moment you arrive on site, so you can relax safe in the knowledge that your kids are in a safe and fun environment with full medical backup.

Everything in Barretstown was an adventure for the kids and also for us as adults. The whole family gets so much entertainment from the different activities and challenges ranging from archery to fishing and horse riding that you forget your worries for a weekend.

The staff are excellent and it's not all just for Georgia as Daniel was treated with equal importance. The time together and various activities also helped us as a couple and was the first time we felt able to enjoy ourselves since the journey began. We also made some amazing friends down in Barretstown that we know will be friends for life. Nothing is expected of you at Barretstown only to have some fun and allow your children to be children again. Put simply its life changing.

The whole environment and surroundings are all so picturesque and relaxed that you can't help but be taken away on a wonderful journey. The only difficulty we had was getting the kids to leave! Barretstown makes you think differently and know that you can survive with hope for the future. It gives so much confidence and independence back to children who have been wrapped in cotton wool by their parents for many months.

Barretstown Medical Director, Dr. Fin Breatnach explains the reasoning for family camps, "Barretstown's family programme focuses on providing respite and support for families of children with life-threatening illnesses, allowing the family to spend quality time together over a three or four day activity based weekend. The immediate focus of the programme is to provide opportunities for the family to have fun together, to meet other families, participate in a wide range of activities or simply relax and enjoy a stress free weekend in idyllic surroundings. Beyond this, bringing families together is an enabling process allowing them to access support from families sharing their experience, providing the opportunity to ask questions and access information through discussion."