Ireland

The Ronald McDonald House and Kildare-based Barretstown were selected by Aspen's team in Ireland in support of Mandela Day.

Aspen employees helped to prepare and cook a meal for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House which provides accommodation and a caring and supportive environment for families whose children are seriously ill and who are hospitalised or undergoing medical treatment at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital.

The team also engaged in gardening, painting, decorating, improving the environment and assisting with the July Summer Camps at Barretstown. Founded in 1994 by actor Paul Newman, Barretstown is a camp for children with cancer and other serious illness. Over the past 20 years it has welcomed over 27,000 campers and offers a programme of therapeutic rehabilitation that provides a sanctuary to families and the children who are diagnosed with cancer. This programme helps them to start to rebuild their lives and give the children an opportunity to rediscover their childhood and an innocent sense of wonderment. Barretstown treats the kids as children and not as patients, which is what they desperately need on their road to recovery while the too undergo treatment at Crumlin's Our Lady's Children's Hospital.

Barretstown clips:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Barretstown.

The Ronald McDonald House: Help prepare & cook a meal for the families staying at the house which provides accommodation and a caring and supportive environment for families whose children are seriously ill and are hospitalised or undergoing medical treatment at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital.
Barretstown: Volunteering with painting, gardening, decorating and many, or assisting with the Summer Camps during July.
In 1994, the actor Paul Newman founded Barretstown, a camp for children with cancer and other serious illness in Co. Kildare, Ireland. Over the past 20 years we have welcomed over 27,000 campers. Programme of therapeutic rehabilitation that provides a sanctuary to families and the children who are diagnosed with cancer and helps them to start to rebuild their lives and offer the children an opportunity to rediscover their childhood and a sense of wonderment. They treat the kids as children and not as patients, which is what they desperately need on the road to recovery.
Supported by the Our Lady's Children's hospital, Crumlin. Barretstown clip:  http://www.youtube.com/user/Barretstown.