Davis College students Vakare Normantaite, Gabriella Wartroba, Martyna Zajac, Frank Blake and Cathal Lordan took part in the Camino for Cliona Project as part of Transition Year. Cliona’s Foundation is a national charity with their office in Limerick, providing financial assistance directly to parents of children with life-limiting or chronic complex care needs across Ireland to help with the non-medical expenses related to caring for their child.
The Foundation was set up by Brendan and Terry Ring following the death of their daughter Cliona. During their time caring for Cliona, they were struck by the number of families facing enormous financial hardship, on the brink of financial free-fall, blindsided by non-medical expenses piling up. They decided to take action and set up Cliona’s Foundation, in honour of their daughter, a charity that uniquely provides financial assistance to families of seriously sick children. The five students have been fundraising over the course of the year and walked over 100km of the Camino in four days at the end of the Easter holidays, accompanied by staff members Ms. L Clancy and Ms. G. O’Donnell.