About Me
This page was designed to promote a charity called Sophie's Choice, which was put in place so that my four year old little girl could say thank you to Crumlin Hospital for everything they have done for her and her family.
I am sure you are curious as to why I would be keen to get involved with this great cause; it's because my daughter Sophie was diagnosed with Hypopituitarism – a life threatening condition - when she was only 3 days old. Hypopituitarism occurs when the pituitary gland in the centre of the brain is under developed. This is the master gland, which in turn produces the hormones which you need every day to live. Without hormones, you cannot laugh, cry, feel, smell, or engage in any of the normal emotions that we take for granted every day. With medication, these hormones can be replaced to a certain degree, but for example, if Sophie picks up a slight cold it can cause major problems as her brain does not know to send the necessary hormone increase to combat it. When the pituitary gland is under developed this in turn leads to the under development of the optic nerve, leading to 60% of children with this problem being born blind. We are lucky that Sophie has only been affected in one eye and has full vision in her left eye. At the age of one, Sophie was diagnosed with Epilepsy, and it is only when you watch your child go through something like this, while you stand by, helpless, it is only then you understand how much you would give to change places with your child, so they didn't have to suffer these terrible fits. The reason I want to put on this event is to give back just a little something for all the work that Crumlin Hospital have done for my daughter and our family. Without their professionalism, their kindness and their understanding, Sophie and many other children like her would not be here today. The hospitals team is doing a fantastic job under very difficult circumstances and I would like to raise as much awareness as possible so that the life of the next child who is diagnosed with Hypopituitarism or Epilepsy might be a little easier to bear, by both the child, and their parents. Last November Sophie's Choice had a night in the Button Factory. With the money raised, I bought every child that spent Christmas in the hospital a present which was anything from Playstations, PSP's, Nintendo DS's down to a babies rattler. This year, I have been asked directly by Crumlin Hospital to raise funds to redesign a main part of the hospital. This is how the area look now and this is how it will look after we raise the funds at Sophie's Choice in the Tivoli
This new area is to provide somewhere for parents to relax while there child is sleep or in theater getting an operation. The design plans for this new area
have been designed by Avril Murphy Allen (RTE Desperate Houses) who is backing this cause 100%. The reason for the cause is very close to me as it is my own little girl that’s behind the reason for it all.
This gig is going to be something different because it’s not just about the night in hand. It is going to touch on so many people lives that have either spent time or do spend sleepless nights in Crumlin hospital with there Kids.
I don’t know if you have ever had to visit the hospital but after your child is admitted to stay over night, there really is no where to go and just chill for 5 or 10 minutes or talk to your other half as there is only one parent allow stay over night with the kid.
Crumlin is different then any other kids hospital in that there is no visiting times set to insure there is always one parent with there sick child but some times you just need a break away from the ward while your child is asleep. You can always count in seen parents walking the halls in the middle of the night as there is nothing less they can do.
The new waiting area will be complete with two internet points and a large LCD Tele.
The aim of the gig is to raise the money to fund this project. Over the coming weeks and months, I will be updating this page so that everyone can see the this great night come together. If at anytime you would like to leave a comment or some advice, please feel free to do so.
Thanks.
Simon Andreucetti.