Help pay for Declans funeral

Hi there, my name's Stephen Gill and I'm starting this fundraiser to help my family to pay for the funeral costs but also put money towards the motor neuron disease association who helped my dad and family so much through the tough times but originally this fundraiser was set up to help with the  renovations to make our home more accessible for my terminally ill father.

My father Declan Gill was diagnosed with a rare form of Motor Neurone Disease, Called Spinal onset Motor Neurone Disease, back in June 2020 which has made his life as well as my mothers life harder.

Motor Neurone Disease is a progressive neurological condition in which the nerves that control voluntary muscles stop working. It is a very challenging condition that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and loss of movement. MND a is progressive and debilitating disease for which there is no cure.

My Father has been a post man around Churchtown, Rathfarnham and Dundrum for 12 years and also worked in The Merry Ploughboy Pub in Rathfarnham for 13 Years at the same time, Unfortunately due to covid and his deteriorating health he had to leave his job in the pub he continued delivering the post up until August of this year when he had to move into working an office job with An post after his Symptoms became to bad to be able to drive a car or ride a bicycle, He loved his job's dearly and was a very Social Man so this was a very hard decision for him to make. He had a weakness in his right arm and wasn't the best on his feet due to his illness but unfortunately on the 5th of September 2021 he had a fall leading to three bleeds on the brain, which in turn has put him in an ICU ward in tallaght fighting for his life whilst under sedation which he is still on now.

We applied for a Housing Adaption grant which is to help older people and people with Disability's like my Dad to try get €30,000 off the government to help with the housing renovations but unfortunately we got denied it due to my dad's earnings just slightly exceeding the maximum amount Last year, even though unfortunately this year my dad wont be able to work anymore , this has created more stress and worry on my dad as he's feeling like he's a burden on my mother.

My parents would not be the type of people to ask for help and are very charitable people, We currently have a charity in the name of my older brother, James Gill, who unfortunately passed away in 2013 after a 3 year fight with Cancer.

Currently our home is not Wheelchair accessible which with his deterioration is something he is likely to need sooner rather then later, So we are looking for any help to be able to make this transition easier for my Dad as well as my mam who has had to take time off work to become his primary Caregiver.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story, We will keep you all updated on Declan's condition.

Please keep Declan in your prayers.