Caoimhe McCormack from Athlone is a beautiful seven-year-old little girl with dreams like all girls her age. However, Caoimhe’s young life is full of painful treatments and hospitalisations.
When Caoimhe was only seven months old she was admitted to Portiuncula Hospital with a rare and devastating form of epilepsy. Her parents hoped medications would cure this but two days later Caoimhe was transferred to Temple Street and was now having 50 seizures a day; on her worst day she had 350 seizures.
Caoimhe also has a number of other medical problems and is developmentally delayed. She is non-verbal and in a wheelchair, but is an extremely happy, cheerful child despite all she has gone through.
Caoimhe’s mum Fiona wrote to Shay Kinsella of Share a Dream to ask if Caoimhe’s dream of being a princess for a day could come true and if possible include her school friends.
Fiona wrote “Caoimhe amazes us every day at how she takes everything in her stride. My dream is simple - to bring some joy into her heart and give her and all of us a memory we can hang onto in tough times ahead.”
So on Sunday June 22, the Share a Dream team will make a special visit to Caoimhe’s home where she will enter the magical world of the Dream Machine and be presented with her special princess dress to get ready for Monday.
On Monday Caoimhe and her mum will be pampered at home getting their nails and hair done. A princess will arrive along with two ladies-in-waiting, and a fancy car to take Caoimhe and her family along with a Garda escort to the Share a Dream concert in St Mary’s Hall with her friends from St Hilda’s Special School.
Her friends, dressed in fancy dress, will greet her when she arrives as the VIP guest. The concert will see Mickey and Friends put on some groovy dance numbers, Attitude Dance Company will perform a number of High School Musical numbers, and DJ Robbie Donnelly will kick off a mega disco for all the children.
Caoimhe will then head to Athlone Towncentre, where she will be welcomed by many of the shops who will present her with some lovely gifts before going for a bite to eat with her family.
After a hectic day a princess has got to rest, so Caoimhe will take off home in her fancy car with some fond memories of her dream day as a princess.
Share a Dream would like to thank all the volunteers and businesses who participated in making this dream a reality for Princess Caoimhe.
Share a Dream rely on fundraising to make dreams a reality for children like Caoimhe. To help them bring a little magic into the lives of very sick children, call (061 ) 200080 or see www.shareadream.ie or www.facebook.com/shareadream
