Six-year-old Adam King, whose virtual hug captured the hearts and minds of people all over the world during his appearance on The Late Late Toy Show last November, has handed over €266,000 in donations to two Irish hospitals.
Adam was born with osteogenesis imperfecta (type III), a rare condition that causes stunted growth and brittle bones. He has attended Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), Cork University Hospital (CUH) and Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street in Dublin since he was a baby.
The six-year old raised more than €250,000 through sales of his virtual hug card, which were printed in the lead up to Valentine’s Day and sold at Centra and Supervalu stores nationwide.
The funds raised will be split between CUMH and Temple Street, with CUMH using the donation to support its Neonatal Sanctum appeal and the building of a parents’ room on its Wilton campus. Temple Street will use its share of the funds to support the Rare Paediatric Bone Disorders Clinic Adam still attends, and the CHI Arts in Health programme.
Commenting on the donation, Adam’s father, David King, said: “Thanks to the sale of Adam’s virtual hug cards, thanks to the generosity of everyone who went out and bought them, our family are proud to make a donation of €266,830.52, to be split equally between Cork University Hospital Charity and Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street.”
“At Temple Street, the money will support Adam’s bone clinic and the Arts in Health programme, which helps to make the hospital the inclusive, welcoming, and joyful place Adam loves to visit. At CUMH, we will support the building of the Neonatal Sanctum. These two projects are very close to our hearts as a family.”
“Adam and his Virtual Hug are testament that the smallest gestures can have the biggest impact.”
