We are proud to share some exciting news with our Mater Hospital Foundation community: we have been shortlisted for Fundraising Campaign of the Year at the Charities Institute Ireland Charity Excellence Awards 2025!
This nomination is a wonderful recognition, but more importantly, it is a celebration of our supporters. Without you — the donors who give generously, the families who share their stories, and the community who stands with us — none of this would be possible.
The Summer Appeal that was Sound
The campaign nominated for this award was our Summer Direct Mail Appeal of 2024, led by our Individual Giving team. You may remember, the appeal focused on raising vital funds for a new ultrasound machine in the Mater Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED).
Every day in the ED, patients in pain were facing delays because ultrasounds had to be carried out in other parts of the hospital. This often meant waiting hours or even being sent home and asked to return another day. For someone in severe pain, or for an older patient with fragile health, this was a difficult and disheartening experience.
The appeal shared these realities with honesty and compassion. One excerpt read:
“You can imagine how it feels to have to look a fragile older man in the eye, or a woman who’s doubled over in pain, and tell them… ‘I’m so sorry, but you’ll have to come back for your ultrasound.’
“An ultrasound machine in the emergency department would mean diagnosis without delay and treatment that same day for people in pain…”
This was not just about a piece of equipment. It was about restoring dignity, reducing suffering, and giving patients the timely care they deserve.
The Impact of Your Generosity
Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were able to fund this vital ultrasound machine. That means today, when someone arrives in the Mater’s Emergency Department in urgent need, doctors can access ultrasound imaging immediately. Patients receive answers faster, care is streamlined, and families can take comfort in knowing their loved ones are being diagnosed without unnecessary delay.
Every single donation made a difference. From the person who gave €5 to the person who gave €500, this achievement is yours. It is proof of what happens when a community comes together around a shared purpose: patients cared for with dignity, compassion, and world-class treatment.
Recognition That Belongs to You
Being shortlisted for Fundraising Campaign of the Year is an honour, but it belongs not only to our Foundation team. It belongs to everyone who chose to respond to that appeal, who shared their own experience of waiting in the ED, and who believed that patients deserved better.
We are also deeply proud to stand alongside our fellow nominees. Every charity in Ireland works tirelessly to support people in need, strengthen communities, and create lasting change. To be recognised in their company is both humbling and inspiring.
Looking Ahead with Gratitude
On 2nd October, we will join colleagues from across the charity sector at the Cii Charity Excellence Awards Gala Dinner. While we hope to bring home the award, our greatest achievement has already been realised: a new ultrasound machine in the Emergency Department, transforming care for patients every single day.
From everyone at the Mater Hospital Foundation: thank you. Your support makes stories like this possible. It is your compassion that ensures every patient who walks through the doors of the Mater is met not only with excellent medical care, but with humanity, comfort, and dignity as well.
This nomination is for you. 🧡