Castlewellan family donate 'courage bears' for other little ones dealing with diabetes

A FAMILY from Castlewellan have kindly donated a collection of teddy bears to the Ulster Hospital to comfort children receiving treatment for diabetes.

Within a matter of days, the Finlay family were forced to adjust to a new normal after their youngest daughter Niamh was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes.

At just six-years-old, the unfamiliarity of the hospital was an unsettling experience for Niamh, and her teddy was a comforting part of home she could bring along to appointments.

Iona said: “Niamh loves her teddies and one night I was looking at her sleeping with her teddy in her arms and I was just so thankful we’d remembered to bring it since we were in such a rush.

“I started to think of some of the wee ones who don’t pack their teddy.”

This is where the idea to donate teddy bears to the hospital came from, and Iona decided to have them personally made at a local shop.

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