Rotary Club Charities exhibition highlights work of Bravehearts NI

THE Rotary Club Charities Exhibition continues at Midtown Makers, Church Street, Ballymena. Midtown Makers & Business Hub is an integral part of Ballymena Business Centre, one of the Rotary Club’s Corporate Members.

Each month, the exhibition features one of over 20 local charities supported by the Rotary Club. Making our community and our world a better place is key to Rotary’s activities. Since it was founded over 80 years ago, the Rotary Club of Ballymena has raised over £500,000 for local and international charities.

For the month of March, we are delighted to showcase the work of Bravehearts NI. Prior to the launch of the Exhibition in Midtown Makers, we were joined at our Rotary Club meeting last Tuesday, 4th March, by Clare Caulfield, Chairperson of the Charity, together with her daughter Shealyn Caulfield and volunteers Emma McCartney and Laura Porter.

Clare gave a very interesting and poignant account of the work of Bravehearts NI.

Background

Bravehearts NI was founded in 2014 by Clare Caulfield and her daughter Shealyn. Shealyn was born with congenital heart disease (CHD). By the age of 14, she had survived 3 open heart surgeries, due to severe heart failure. Now 26 years old, she is awaiting her 4th surgery within the next few weeks.

Bravehearts NI is a local charity supporting teenagers and adults with congenital heart disease. The charity is 100% volunteer-led.

What does Bravehearts NI do?

Bravehearts NI provides pastoral and welfare support for both the patients and their families. This includes counselling and a befriending service.

Due to the nature of CHD, the needs of no two ‘Bravehearts’ or their support networks are exactly the same. The support offered to Bravehearts and their families is tailored to individual needs, ranging from financial assistance during hospital stays to the provision of exercise equipment, physiotherapy sessions, weighted blankets, hoodie blankets and financial aid for necessities like food and energy bills.

The Charity continues to support the Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Team in the Royal Victoria Hospital by providing equipment and basic essentials for staff in the Cardiac Wards who care for the Bravehearts. It also supports the Clark Clinic in RVH through the provision of craft items and toys to help entertain the younger Bravehearts during hospital stays and outpatient procedures.

Bravehearts NI also remains dedicated to helping its Bravehearts to successfully navigate the benefit system, ensuring they receive the support they deserve and the help they need to enter/remain in work whilst living with very complex heart disease.

Fundraising and Donations

Bravehearts NI depends on the generosity of the general public for much-needed funds to support patients who are cared for by the ACHD team in the RVH, Belfast.

Last year, grants represented 9.3% of the Charity’s income. The remaining 90.7% was raised through donations and fundraising.

Clare highlighted some of the many ways that members of the public can help. These include simple ideas such as coffee mornings and pub quizzes. The Charity also relies on business sponsorship and community groups who hold fundraisers for the charity.

Since 2017 the Rotary Club of Ballymena has been delighted to donate £1,400 to Bravehearts NI. This money has been used to support families travelling to GB for heart surgery or heart transplant, often for long periods of time. It also helped to provide a simple meal or paying for the bus to the hospital. This help is crucial and immediately impactful.

Events

Bravehearts events include Miniathlons, runs and Christmas parties. Miniathlons include a pool swim, road bike ride, and trail run that helps prepare for triathlons.

To mark the Charity’s tenth anniversary, it held a gala ball at the Braid Arts Centre in November 2024. The event not only marked a significant milestone for the charity but also served as a critical fundraising opportunity to further their life-changing work. It is currently funding one of the clinicians in RVH to train in Glasgow for a year in CHD Obstetrics and specialist CHD MRI analysis. Dr Kelly will be the first doctor on the island of Ireland with this expertise. Clare commented: “This will be life-changing for Bravehearts who yearn to be Mammies; a dream that was never possible before”.

The annual Carols from Drenagh House, Limavady, in December 2024 also helped to raise much-needed funds for the charity.

A standout event of 2024 was the collective trip to see the pantomime "Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs" in January, offering a memorable and uplifting experience for all involved. Events like this bring connection for Bravehearts who often live very isolated lives due to their heart disease. They spent many occasions in hospital since birth and have limited energy to take part in the very basics of life and fun.

If you are interested in fundraising or would like further information about the Charity, you can email Clare at clare@braveheartsni.com.

In addition to the exhibition in Midtown Makers, The Rotary Club continues its busy year of events. The

Year 10 Technology Tournament, in partnership with Northern Regional College, will be held in NRC, Trostan Avenue on 13th March. Other events include the Open Golf Charity Event to be held at Ballymena Golf Course in the spring, a Table Quiz in The Thatch on 7th May, a new Generation Chef competition, a sponsored walk to raise funds for Nico and Percy (2 therapy dogs at Castle Tower School) and a trip to the cinema, followed by lunch, for around 80 Castle Tower pupils. If you would like to find out more about these and other Rotary projects, please get in touch at rotaryballymena@gmail.com