LATEST: Tipperary family to feature on new Virgin Media documentary

A Carrick-on-Suir family is to feature in a new Virgin Media documentary called: Ireland’s Forgotten Families on Virgin Media Three.

The programme is to air on Thursday, April 21 at 9pm, just as rising cost of living causes a 30% increase in families caring for a sick child asking for financial help, says CEO of Cliona’s Foundation, Brendan Ring.

The relentlessly rising cost of living is dominating the news at the moment and there is no indication that the rate of inflation is going to go down in the near future.

With many families struggling to make ends meet, Cliona’s Foundation has noticed a significant increase in the number of people applying to them for financial assistance.

These families are the ones who are already crippled financially by the non-medical costs associated with caring for a sick child.

They are now once more disproportionately affected by rapidly increasing bills. They are Ireland’s forgotten families.
Cliona’s Foundation is a unique national organisation providing financial support for families who are caring for a child with a life-limiting illness.

The foundation was set up by Brendan and Terry Ring following the death of their daughter Cliona from an inoperable brain tumour in 2006, aged 15.

Cliona’s have provided financial support to over 1,000 families across the island of Ireland with 49 families in Tipperary supported by Cliona’s over the years.

Recently, former Irish rugby international and now an international referee, Joy Neville joined documentary participant David Crowe and co-founder and volunteer CEO of Cliona’s Foundation, Brendan Ring to announce that four of the many special families who have received financial help will share their incredible personal stories in a ground-breaking two-part documentary series called Ireland’s Forgotten Families.

The two episodes, created by Jon Slattery at Trilogy Media, will air back-to-back on Thursday, April 21 at 9pm on Virgin Media Three.

Each of these families experienced, and continue to experience, the significant non-medical costs of caring for a child with a life-limiting condition.

Featured in the documentary is the Russell family from Tipperary, Michael, Michelle and their triplets Cillian, Ruth and Conor. We learn that these devoted parents sometimes slept in their car during son Cillian’s long hospital stays.

The Russell family’s great love and care for their son and each other is inspirational.

Cliona’s Foundation expects at least 200 families will apply for financial assistance this year and will need to raise a minimum of €500,000 to meet these applications. To learn more and to help please visit clionas.ie.