Kildare girl helps celebrate Children’s Health Foundation’s trick or treat campaign

NAAS girl, Alicia Begley, helped the Children’s Health Foundation mark a major milestone this October for the 25th anniversary of the Trick or Treat for Children’s Health Foundation Campaign, a hugely significant tradition that has raises vital funds to support sick children and their families across Ireland.

Since 2000, schools, crèches, families, and communities have united every Halloween to support funding for Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) hospitals and urgent care centres at Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght, and Connolly. These generous efforts help fund lifesaving equipment, groundbreaking research, essential family supports, and world-class care for Ireland’s sickest children.

Alicia Begley, who was face of the 2019 campaign, was born in 2013. When Alicia was 14 months old, a public nurse noticed that Alicia’s speech wasn’t developing as expected for her age. The little girl was subsequently diagnosed at two years old with a rare condition called Beckwith Wiedemann Syndrome. The syndrome, present at birth, is characterised by a large tongue, abdominal wall defects and hemihypertrophy, which is an uneven growth on one side of the body.

For Alicia’s mam Laura, the diagnosis came as a shock. “My world was turned upside down. It was the scariest, most frightening thing to be told,” she said.

Speech became one of Alicia’s biggest challenges. The speech and language team raised the possibility that Alicia might never speak. The next step was a referral to Temple Street to a consultant and the craniofacial team.

When Laura learned how the surgery could help Alicia, she was happy for the operation to go ahead. “I don’t think she would be talking today if she hadn’t had the surgery and we have no problems with her speech now. The care that they gave us in Temple Street was second to none.” 

 Alicia’s condition has brought further challenges. “With Alicia’s hemihypertrophy, unfortunately, it came with a length discrepancy in her legs. She had surgery, an eight-plate growth surgery in both her legs. Her first surgery took place in February 2025 in Crumlin. One of the eight-plate growth surgeries was reversed after seven months. It had corrected itself and we’re now just waiting for the other leg to correct itself,” explained Laura.

Today, Alicia is in sixth class and enjoying her school life. “She’s a very happy child, very outgoing and doesn’t have any issues with speaking in class,” said Laura. “We’re under great care, still under the care of Temple Street and Crumlin. It’s been amazing.” 

 Fundraising and events like ‘Trick or Treat’ have been part of their journey too. “It means the world to us. I mean, without that fundraising, how can they continue to look after our kids and give them the care that they need? I didn’t know, until Alicia became a regular patient, just how important fundraising is.” 

 Her gratitude to the medical teams is immense. “I want to really, really thank all the nurses and the doctors that have looked after Alicia. They don’t get enough thanks. It has been such a rollercoaster. But I am so glad that we have had and we continue to have the best care. We are so blessed. Every day I look at Alicia and I thank my lucky stars.”