Testimonials
Navigating the world of special needs can be an incredibly isolating journey, but the moment we walked through the doors of the Clare Crusaders Clinic, everything changed.
In the community, you spend so much energy worrying about being judged or having to explain your child’s behaviour, but here, absolutely everyone understands; no explanation is needed.
Our daughter has cerebral palsy, and the progress she has made through the free physiotherapy and speech therapy sessions is measured in what we call ‘millimetres of joy’, a straighter spine, a newly spoken word, or a confident smile. The clinic is won every day by ordinary families achieving extraordinary things, and we would be completely lost without this lifeline.
Growing up with a sibling who uses a wheelchair, the clinic quickly became a second home for my family.
What makes the Clare Crusaders so unique is how they keep the entire family unit together.
When I was younger, I used to come along to the summer camps and social clubs, and it was amazing to realise I wasn’t the only teenager with a sibling who had additional needs. It completely normalised disability for me.
Now, as a camp leader, my heart warms watching the next generation of local young people interact with the kids. It’s a place filled with laughter, banter, and deep empathy, where the children can just be themselves and know that people are truly listening to them.
As a local business, we wanted our Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to drive tangible, transparent change right here in our own community.
Partnering with the Clare Crusaders Clinic allowed us to do exactly that. Our staff have rallied behind the clinic, organising everything from office bake sales to matched-funding endurance challenges.
Knowing that every single pound we raise goes directly towards providing free, specialist occupational therapy hours gives our team immense pride. It’s not just a corporate sponsorship; it’s an emotional investment in the future of local families, and it has profoundly boosted morale across our entire organisation.
Lacing up my trainers to train for the Dublin City Marathon with the Clare Crusaders Running Group was one of the most challenging yet rewarding things I’ve ever done.
Arriving at the Barefield clinic at six in the morning in the pitch black of winter, you question your sanity. But then you look at the orange jersey with the name of a local child on your back, and you remember exactly why you are running. The camaraderie in the group is fantastic; we got each other through the gruelling miles, the injuries, and the nerves.
Crossing that finish line with tears in our eyes, knowing the money we raised keeps these vital therapy doors open for the children, is a feeling I will never forget.