On the 17th of March 2022 women from all over Ireland will be doing a Dip in the Nip to raise funds for Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin & Daisy Lodge Mayo.

The little girl Penny O’Brien, who inspired all these brave women is a student at the Musical Theatre Academy Nenagh! In June 2020 the healthy, active and very funny 6 year old little girl was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a very rare form of bone cancer.

Within days Penny started a very intense course of chemotherapy treatment that would go on for 10 months and in September 2020 Penny underwent limb sparing surgery. Penny's treatment was extremely intense, resulting in Penny spending long periods of time in Our Ladys Hospital Crumlin and University Hospital Limerick, away from her family and missing out on all the things a 6 year old should be doing.

In March 2021 Penny finished her chemotherapy and rang The Bell. Her family could not have been prouder of their girl, she was so brave throughout her treatment and was always herself. She rang that bell loud and clear.

Crumlin referred the family to the Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, Co. Down for a Therapeutic Short Break. Penny's diagnosis was heartbreaking for her family and her treatment was extremely stressful on everyone, especially her big sisters Emma and Abigail and with the added pressures that Covid brought, their world was thrown upside down. 

“The Therapeutic Break gave us time back, we could laugh again and not be the cancer family. We could just be us again. “Dip in the Nip In For A Penny” has been set up to raise vital funds for Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin and also to raise funds to go towards the building of the Daisy Lodge Mayo, the first Cancer Support Centre for children in the Republic of Ireland.

Penny is not just our daughter, she is everyone's daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin, friend. Please help us reach our target and ensure that the love and support is there for any other family who have to go through life changing experience.” 

Many teachers and staff members at the Musical Theatre Academy Nenagh are taking part in this fundraiser.  Please donate to help us raise funds for this immensely worthy cause!