It was an emotional day in Croke Park yesterday for double All-Ireland winner and former Dublin goalkeeper, John O’Leary.
The Swords man literally went up the hill for the Jack & Jill foundation when he, with his three-year-old son Tom on his shoulders, climbed Hill 16 in the stadium.
Tom is one of 300 children currently under the wing of the Jack & Jill foundation, having been diagnosed with a rare chromosomal disorder.
The pair, both sporting their beloved Dublin jerseys, were cheered on for the short climb by John’s wife Catherine and other son, Jack.
John O’Leary with with his son Tom (3).
“Hill 16 was the unforgettable backdrop to my days as a player,” said John. “The Hill was cheering us on when we were winning and giving us the kick we needed when we weren’t. I want to thank the team in Croke Park for making this happen today.
“To take Tom up the hill for Jack & Jill is a very special moment for me and for Catherine and his brother Jack. Tom is climbing his own hill every day and he does it with courage, determination, laughing and smiling all the way.”
Tom was born with a heart condition called tetralogy of fallot and has a rare chromosomal disorder which means he has poor muscle tone and can’t feed orally, leaving him in need of constant care.
He was just six months when he underwent life-saving heart surgery and has spent many months in hospital.
“My son doesn’t need words to express himself. He doesn’t need muscle tone to be strong. He constantly pushes the boundaries of his condition and I dream of the day when Tom returns to Croke Park and to Hill 16 as part of a Special Olympics team,” he added.
John and Tom loved their day in Croker.
“Home is where he belongs and where we can give him all the extra support he needs but we couldn’t do it without the help of Jack & Jill who give us the training, the confidence and the support to make this happen.”
The goal of the event yesterday was to raise awareness for the Gala ‘Up the Hill for Jack & Jill’ initiative which aims to fill the €200,000 funding shortfall facing the Jack & Jill Foundation in 2014. According to the organisers, anything goes for the hill – big hill, small hill, real or emotional hill, hill of ironing, hill of filing, or hill of food, with prizes being offered for the best ideas.
“I want to encourage as many people as possible to support this campaign and every €16 registration fee covers 1 hour of home nursing care for a sick child. It’s win win all round,” explained John.
