Kildare village rallies around girl with rare illness
Lynn Walsh and Jessica Whelan
THE tight-knit community of Kildangan is coming together in a powerful show of support for 17-year-old Jessica Whelan, a local girl on palliative care with Rett Syndrome and multiple complex medical needs.
A major fundraiser is being organised by Shannon and John, owners of The Crosskey Pub in Kildangan, to help Jessica’s family purchase a wheelchair-accessible vehicle — an essential but currently unaffordable necessity for her care.
The fundraiser and movie launch will be held at The Crosskey Pub in Kildangan on Sunday, June 1, and all are welcome to attend.
Jessica's mother and full-time carer Lynn Walsh, spoke openly about the daily challenges they face. Despite having a specially adapted home for Jessica’s needs, transportation remains a major obstacle.
“I’m on carer’s allowance, and we’re not eligible for finance,” she explained. “The wheelchair accessible cars we looked at were between €48,000 and €56,000. The payments were €500 to €600 a month—we only get €220 a week. It’s impossible.”
Living in rural Kildangan with limited public transport options, Jessica’s family struggles to attend her 100 to 160 medical appointments each year.
“There’s only one bus, and it doesn’t always run or accommodate wheelchairs. One driver even refused to put down the ramp,” her mother recalled. “I can’t lift her anymore. And the new wheelchair we’re getting can’t be dismantled to fit in a regular car.”
Diagnosed with Rett Syndrome—a rare neurological disorder that affects the way the brain develops, resulting in a loss of motor skills like walking, eating or talking.
“She’s palliative,” her mother said, “but she loves life. She deserves to get out and enjoy what time she has.”
Jessica ended up in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, County Dublin in 2019 where doctors told the family to say their goodbyes to Jessica.
“We were brought in to say goodbye to Jessica. She went into cardiac failure. We were told she wouldn’t survive. They discovered that the hypothalamus of her brain was deteriorating and she had to go onto palliative care.”
After that Lynn was advised to take her home and get her as comfortable as possible with no clear idea of when she could pass: “ We don’t know when. It could happen at any time, that’s why she's on palliative care. She could go to bed tonight and not wake up in the morning. That’s just the way it is.”
Lynn described her daughter Jessica as “her whole world” and said: “Once I know I’ve done everything in my power to give her the best quality of life I know I done my job – no matter what the outcome is.” The fundraiser, organized by the Crosskey Pub, is set to be a community celebration. Alongside a raffle featuring generous spot prizes from local businesses, the event will include the premiere of a short film, ‘The Crosskey Heist’.
The film, starring Jessica and created through Lauralynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, recently won a Lauralynn Oscar Award for Best Comedy Drama Movie of 2025.
“The film was an incredible experience,” her mother said. “Jessica had such joy being part of it. It’s something we’ll cherish forever.” The film will be screened during the fundraiser, with all proceeds going toward adapting a vehicle to meet Jessica’s needs.
Jessica’s mother has been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers. “I was in shock. We’ve only lived here three years and barely know anyone. But the community stepped up in a way I never expected.”
In addition to the fundraiser, Lynn wants to spread Jessica’s story—both to raise awareness for Rett Syndrome and to support other families navigating similar paths. “When Jessica was diagnosed, they just told me to take her home and watch her deteriorate. I had to find everything myself. I don’t want another parent to feel that alone,” she said.
Through tears and laughter, hardship and hope, Jessica’s story is one of resilience—and the outpouring of support in Kildangan is a testament to the power of community.
