'3 for Key' fundraiser for Lourdes Hospital NICU
The Keelan family from Duleek will undertake a very special fundraiser in memory of their dad David ‘Key’ Keelan to mark the first anniversary of his death later this month.
Key was a very proud grandfather to his nine grandchildren including daughter Aisling's triplets Sonny, Senan and Willow, who spent several weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, when they were born.
The triplets are now two and a half and Aisling recalled how her father wanted to do some sort of a fundraiser to give back to the NICU who so tenderly cared for their little miracles but sadly passed away before he had a chance to do it. Key died suddenly on 24th September last year at the age of just 59, after suffering a heart attack.
It was a devastating loss to the family and as his first anniversary approaches they wanted to turn what will be a sad and poignant day into something they will always remember in memory of their dear dad.
Aisling said: “From the kids' first birthday, dad had always wanted to give back to the NICU. They were so amazing. The care I got in the hospital too was phenomenal. We got introduced to the NICU before we had them. It was so daunting and so scary.
“First I am a 24 year-old, put into the mix that there were three of these tiny babies that are going to be in incubator for a couple of weeks and not knowing what was going on. But they explained everything to me and told me everything.”
The first year of the triplets' lives was a whirlwind and Aisling was blessed to have massive family support looking after the babies including from her dad. “I always said I don't know what I would have done in that first year if I didn't have dad. He was always there.
“He was such an early riser. At 5am I would get a message asking were the kids awake yet and he would be up cycling to the house. He'd feed two babies at one time and when it got to an age where they were being spoonfed, he was feeding all three at once.
“That is a big memory I have. He would be in the kitchen and they would all be in their high chairs and he would be feeding them- all three of them at once.”
They had a great bond with her dad and Aisling recalls that Willow in particular was “such a grandad's girl”.
“I don't know what it was, she always wanted him and he let her rule the roost. She had him wrapped around her finger.”
With his first anniversary approaching Aisling, mum Ursula and sisters Aoife and Ciara, decided to the fundraiser that Key never got to do.
“Instead of making a sad day, a sad day, we will make it a day that you are always going to remember and have it in a nice way. That's why we said on his anniversary, why not honour it and do this in honour of him. Because he has always wanted to give back to the NICU and he didn't get a chance to do so we said we would do it instead.”
They came up with the idea of the '3 for Key' spinathon as Key was a keen cyclist and a member of the Yellow Furze club.
“We thought what better way than three bikes, three babies and three NICU journeys,” said Aisling.
When she got in touch with NICU in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital to tell them about the fundraiser, she was touched that the manager there remembered their stay in NICU. “So many people walk that path of NICU and she remembered us, that was so lovely.”
The spinathon will take place in Duleek Community Centre on 20th September and Aisling said the support they have got from the local community has been unbelievable.
Within 48 hours of launching the gofundme page for their fundraiser, they had reached their goal and are so grateful for all the donations which will make a huge difference to those on a NICU journey.
Aisling also expressed their gratitude to the Duleek Community for the support they showed them when Key died last year. She said the community was also amazing, with people dropping everything to be there for them and do everything for them.
The funds raised from the spinathon will be used towards lifesaving neonatal equipment, comfort items for parents and newborns, and resources for NICU teams doing extraordinary work.
With Willow, Sonny and Senan now two and a half, the Keelan household is a very busy one. Aisling and partner Jordan are already parents to Evie (6) and Aisling said Evie is a great help to them with her younger siblings who Aisling said are “into everything”.
“It is like a helicopter has hit my house, it's crazy. They are all so different in their own little ways. Its very busy. I have to have everything barricaded, everything has to be bulletproof.
“Senan is always looking for something to get into, he's such a boy. Sonny is such a mammy's boy, he just wants to be my shadow. Willow is a real girl, she wants to do her own thing and is well able. Se is not like two, she is like 12,” laughed Aisling.
To make a donation to the Gofundme page click here