Mater Hospital performs 1000th Robotics-Assisted Surgery.

The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital has reached an important milestone this month, as surgeons complete the 1000th robotics-assisted surgery.

The Robotic Surgical Programme is now in its fifth year, having been launched in 2019. Thanks to the generosity of the Mater Hospital Foundation’s supporters across Ireland, the hospital secured a state-of-the-art Da Vinci XI robot.

Since its launch, the programme has immeasurably improved outcomes for cancer patients and their families and has quickly expanded to involve sixteen surgeons across six specialities, including Urology, Cardiothoracic, Colorectal, Head and Neck, Gynaecology, and Hepatobiliary.

As a national university training hospital, the Mater Hospital plays a key role in building robotics expertise for Irish healthcare.

Mr Greg Nason, Consultant Urologist in the Mater Hospital who performed the 1000^th surgery says, “The Robotic Programme in the Mater has been a great success thanks to the Mater Hospital Foundation’s generosity. The expertise that has been established within the hospital from a nursing and medical perspective has allowed us to offer a multi-speciality programme to our patients. Within urology, robotic surgery is now the standard for most major prostate and bladder cancers as well as many kidney cancers.”

Mr Nason explains the many benefits of this type of advanced surgery, “The robotic platform allows surgeons perform difficult procedures with better magnification and fine movements due to the small robotic instruments ultimately leading to a less invasive operation for patients. Overall, the patient experience is improved due to smaller incisions, less blood loss and less pain resulting in them going home earlier and having an easier recovery. Our robotic programme has gone from strength to strength due to the enthusiasm within the hospital and will continue to expand to offer timely robotic surgery to more and more Mater patients.”

Commenting on the programme and the 1000th robotics-assisted procedure, Alan Sharp, CEO of the Mater Hospital says, “The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital has long been at the centre of groundbreaking moments in medical care, that are continuing to change and improve the lives of people across Ireland. Many of these pioneering initiatives have been made possible because of the generosity of Mater Hospital Foundation supporters.”

Chief Executive of the Mater Hospital Foundation Mary Moorhead says, “We are so proud of the role that our supporters have played in making the Robotic Assisted Surgical Programme a reality and helping the hospital reach this important milestone. Through their kindness and generosity, our community of care nationwide is continuing to make transformative change possible in our hospital.”

She adds, “None of this would be possible without the skill and technical expertise of the Mater’s surgical teams. I would like to pay tribute to every clinician involved in the Robotic Surgical Programme for their work in improving outcomes for cancer patients.”

To find out more about the Mater Hospital Foundation and to support the life-saving work that happens in the Mater Hospital every day, visit www.materfoundation.ie.

Reach new heights in support of the Mater Public Hospital!

Join us on Friday, 29th September in Dalkey Quarry and take on a team-building event that soars above the rest!

Experience the thrill of abseiling down an 82ft vertical cliff, pushing your limits, and uniting for a memorable day in support of a great cause.

By accepting this daring challenge, you will bring comfort, care and hope to patients and families at the Mater. Funds raised will provide life-saving equipment, helping doctors and nurses to deliver the very best care and outcomes to their patients. Your company will make an important social impact, joining our incredible community of care that is bringing compassionate care to families throughout Ireland.

To find out more or book your team’s place

Email our Corporate Partnerships Manager John Dwyer – jdwyer@materfoundation.ie

OR

Click here for all the details and access to the Registration Form.

Our Summer edition of our ‘Heart of the Mater’ newsletter drops this week!

We’ve got some exciting news…

We are delighted to share some exciting news with you today, as we unveil our new updated name and a refreshed look and feel! The Mater Foundation will now be known as the Mater Hospital Foundation. We have also refreshed our logo, which symbolises the powerful connection between the hospital, its patients, families and staff, the Foundation, and our nationwide community of supporters.

With your continued support, we can deliver even more impact for patients right across the hospital in the weeks, months and years ahead. We will continue to listen to and work closely with you – our supporters – who are at the heart of everything we do and celebrate your important place in our Mater Hospital community.

The Mater Foundation has been proudly raising funds to support the great work of the hospital since 1985. In fact, thanks to the kindness and generosity of our supporters, we have invested €44million to support projects across the Mater in that time. So much has been achieved by working hand-in-hand with you – our community of supporters across Ireland and beyond. It is such a privilege to be part of this unique and powerful community of care.

Thank you for being with us on every step of this important journey.

You will start to see us using this updated look and name across our website and all of our social channels, so do give us a like and a share where you spot it!

Mater Hospital’s ICU Nursing initiative in partnership with Meagher’s Pharmacy

ICU is often the most traumatic experience for patients. They can arrive at the Mater Hospital from all across the country having undergone huge trauma, and are very unwell and extremely vulnerable. Typically, they will arrive without any belongings and their care needs mean they are unable to get out of bed to shower. They may have been unconscious for days or even weeks and have matted hair, dry or sore skin, chapped lips, etc.

The Mater’s inspirational Intensive Care Nursing team wanted to deliver extra comfort to these most vulnerable of patients by providing small essential products that can make a big difference to their patients’ care.

That’s where Meagher’s Pharmacy came in. They generously offered to support the initiative and kindly donated care packs with male and female hygiene products such as detangling hair shampoo, lip balm, toothpaste, hairbrushes, toothbrushes, razors, shaving foam, etc..

Below are members of the ICU team – Laura Ahern, Claudia Quinn and Olivia Rahill – with Annie Halligan, Supervising Pharmacist at Meagher’s Pharmacy, Mater Hospital, collecting the delivery of critical care comfort products.

Thank you to Oonagh O’Hagan and all the fabulous team at Meagher’s for supporting our amazing ICU Nursing staff in this wonderful initiative.

Join our Women’s Mini Marathon Team

The Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon returns on Bank Holiday Sunday, 4th of June. And it’s time to get your runners at the ready and join the Mater Foundation Team for this year’s event.

The Mini Marathon is an annual 10k charity road race. Celebrating it’s 41st year, it is the largest Women’s event of its kind in the world. It’s also a standout event for us here at the Mater Foundation with so many of you signing up to fundraise on our behalf.

Click here for more details on how to join our team for this year’s event. If you have any questions, please contact Angi, our Community & Events Specialist at AMcNulty@materfoundation.ie .

Transition Year Challenge!

Will you walk 50 Miles to save lives this April?

The Mater Foundation are running a special challenge for Transition Year students and TY Coordinators in schools across Dublin this April. We’re looking for your school to join us and help us raise vital funds to purchase essential pieces of life-saving equipment for use across the Mater Public Hospital.

The Challenge

Walk 50 Miles throughout the month of April. Track your miles and ask friends and family to sponsor you!

This is the perfect initiative to promote student health and wellbeing, while raising funds to support critically ill patients in the Mater Public Hospital.

Schools taking part will get:

• Special Limited Edition 50 Miles in April t-shirt – up to 120 t-shirts per school!
• 50 Miles in April Tracker Sheets.
• Sponsorship Cards.
• Downloadable graphics for social so you can shout about the wonderful work your students are doing.
• We’ll even share your videos on TikTok (if we have permission).
• Certificate of Completion for each school once the challenge is done.

Can you meet the challenge?

Only a limited number of schools can take part!

So please make sure you register your interest today by contacting Roisin Duffy at rduffy@materfoundation.ie or directly on 086 8052025.

Or complete the form below and submit, and we’ll get right back to you.

Will you join us on Inis Mór for the Aer Arann Islands Half Marathon this coming spring?

We are delighted to announce the Aer Arann Islands Half Marathon will return to the stunning island of Inis Mór from 12th – 14th April 2024.

The Half Marathon is a unique opportunity to run, walk or jog in the spectacular and scenic surroundings of Inis Mór and to soak up the atmosphere, ceol and culture that the island has to offer.

For more than 20 years, the Aer Arann Islands Half Marathon has supported worthy causes. We are honoured to work with the Marathon Committee to raise the funds to enable us to transform and improve patient care in The Mater Hospital, which provides expert, specialist treatment to hundreds of thousands of sick people and their families from all across Ireland each and every year.

The crucial funds you raise through the Aer Arann Half Marathon will allow our doctors and nurses to provide the very best care to critically ill patients when they need it most.

We look forward to being part of this great adventure and joining all the marathoners on the island this coming April!

If you would like to learn more, contact Angi McNulty at amcnulty@materfoundation.ie or fill out our contact form below with any queries and we will be in touch!

We’re delighted to be chosen by Dublin Bus as a recipient of their Community Spirit Awards this year!

The award of €1,000 will help elderly isolated people in the Dublin 7 area who depend on the Mater’s Catherine McCauley Day Centre on Leo Street.

Every day, the Centre provides hot meals, respite, medical care and social interaction to 20 isolated and vulnerable elderly people in the area surrounding the Mater Public Hospital.

For each person, its homely and welcoming atmosphere is their lifeline, looking after their mental and physical needs, while also enhancing their quality of life and independence through social contact, exercise and companionship.

This vital project depends on charitable funding from the Mater Foundation to keep its doors open.

Thank you, Dublin Bus, for supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our local community.

On Sunday 27^th November, in the beautiful surroundings of St Anne’s Park Raheny, we came together for our Annual Remember Me Walk.

With the sun shining down, we were joined by walkers of all ages, and a few canine friends too. It was a lovely opportunity to remember, and reminisce about, our loved ones gone but never forgotten.

Post walk, as we enjoyed our refreshments, Niall and Philip played the tunes that brought back fond memories, including some special requests and wonderful sing along tributes. Than you so much to all of you who registered and attended to help raise vital funds for End-of-Life-Care services at The Mater Public Hospital. You can learn more about this hugely important service here.

Still looking to Donate?

If you still wish to donate you can do so by following this link: Remember Me Walk 2022

Looking forward to meeting up again next year to fondly remember.