Abu Dhabi Rose Niamh Kelly has chosen to fly the flag for the Donegal-based Victoria Thompson Memorial Fund and Scholarship.

Abu Dhabi Rose Niamh Kelly, from Co Clare

The Victoria Thompson Memorial Fund and Scholarship are delighted to announce that Abu Dhabi Rose Niamh Kelly, from Co Clare, is going to represent their charity, when she travels to The Rose of Tralee Festival this August.

As a nurse, Niamh chose children’s palliative care as one of her causes for this international festival.

Sharon Thompson, Victoria’s mother and co-founder of the charity tells us, “there are approximately 4,000 children in Ireland with a life-limiting illness who will need palliative care.

“Our charity aims to advance children’s palliative care in Ireland, so although Niamh is representing the Victoria Thompson Memorial Fund we feel she is a symbol of beauty and hope for these children needing specialised nursing care.”

The Victoria Thompson Scholarship was established by Sharon and Brian Thompson from Donegal to assist nurses studying in Ireland’s first dedicated Masters programme for Children’s Palliative / Complex Care at NUI Galway. The scholarship was set up in memory of their baby Victoria Thompson who required the help of specialist paediatric palliative care nurses as she fought a rare disease during her short life of nine months.

This year, there was much celebration as two nurses were each awarded €1,000 scholarships to develop the highly specialised skills required for caring for children with life-limiting illness.

Victoria Thompson Memorial Fund

The magic which Sharon associates with baby Victoria and her effect on the charity will now be spread even further, as Niamh will be championing the fund at the Rose of Tralee Festival which is viewed all over the world.

Abu Dhabi Rose Niamh Kelly, from Co Clare

“Niamh will have many angels with her in the Dome this year. We ask for people to cheer for our Niamh when she takes to the stage in Kerry and thank her sincerely for her kindness and support,” Sharon said.

Visit thevictoriathompsonfoundation.com for more information about the memorial fund.

Discover the story of the foundation of The Victoria Thompson Memorial Fund and Scholarship here:

A wish in memory of a magical baby girl