Light a virtual star for Mater Hospital Foundation

Leave a message for loved ones and support patient comfort

The Mater Hospital Foundation has this week launched its new ‘Words of Light’ website, to support patients in the Mater Hospital this Christmas. The Foundation is inviting individuals and businesses across Meath to light a virtual star and leave a special message for loved ones, those spending Christmas in hospital or hospital teams working over the festive season.

Lighting a star couldn’t be easier – visit www.materfoundation.ie/wordsoflight and choose your special star. When you donate, you will receive a unique link to your star and message and a graphic highlighting your generous support, which you can download and share on your own social media channels to inspire others to follow your lead.

Businesses that light a star can also upload their logo to highlight their company’s support. To acknowledge each company's generosity, the Mater Hospital Foundation will provide a special email signature graphic, and a downloadable workplace poster.

Funds raised during this campaign will be put to work where they are needed most to support patients across the Mater Hospital. From Comfort Care Packs for patients who cannot afford their own to life-saving equipment for critically-ill patients in ICU, and so much more besides, this campaign will help make a real and tangible difference to patients from across Ireland.

The Mater Hospital Foundation exists to give every patient, and every family that loves them, the very best care at the Mater Hospital. Through the kindness of its supporters, the Foundation continues to invest in the future of the hospital by funding advanced state-of the-art medical equipment, new services and hospital redevelopment, research and innovation initiatives, and by providing patient, family and staff support when it is most needed.

In 2022, thanks to the kindness of its supporters, the Mater Hospital Foundation invested more than €3.3m in life-changing hospital projects, including two new Cardiac ECHO Machines, a new ECMO machine for ICU and a new cutting-edge surgical device for liver surgery. It invested in a wide range of patient support services and supported the refurbishment of the hospital’s Breast Health Unit.

Mary Moorhead, chief executive of the Mater Hospital Foundation says: “This Christmas, make a difference in the lives of our patients. Donate on our Words of Light website to light a virtual star over the Mater Hospital and leave a message for your loved ones, those who will spend Christmas in hospital or our hospital teams working over the festive season. Your words of light and support will bring comfort and hope to those in hospital and your star will proudly shine a light on your generous support.”

To light your virtual star, visit www.materfoundation.ie/wordsoflight