Longford grandmother knits dolls for sick children

A Longford woman whose grandchild received treatment in Crumlin Hospital has spent the Covid-19 lockdown knitting dolls for sick children.

Kathy Creevy’s grandson was in the hospital’s intensive care unit in 2017, and she made a promise to herself that someday she would give back to those who helped him.

“I saw all the good work they did for him and I said someday I’m going to do something to repay and help them,” she says.

“My family is very good, they give donations every Christmas so I decided I would do this work for them.”

Kathy has created approximately twenty dolls so far.

“I post them up to the nurse that writes to me and tells me about the children,” she says. “She’s so good.”

Kathy uses men’s boot boxes with attached lids decorated with colourful knitted squares as beds for the dolls.

Each box contains a pillow made from a sheet and a doll-sized woollen blanket, with added presents including miniature tea cups and cars.

“The people in the Post Office are very helpful, they know now when they see me coming,” Kathy says. “They’re very good to me.”

“The first box I sent was to a child with Down’s Syndrome and she was so happy with the box, every one of them is so happy with the boxes when they arrive. I love doing it because it passes the time for me too when I’m here on my own.”

Kathy, who has a health condition where she needs to move regularly, says she used to put the wool under her arm and knit as she walked around the house and out in the garden. She says she knits anytime she has a free moment.

“If I’m going to the doctor you might have to wait for a while, so I bring a ball of wool and knit while I’m waiting. Wherever I have to go I’ll bring the wool.”

Kathy revealed she was “very sick” with Covid and said, “I know what the children and everyone sick in the hospital is going through. I know the pain they’re going through. Knitting helps me to help them.”

“I’m not one for sitting all the time because I can’t do that, I like to keep going.”

“My daughter says to me ‘I wonder mam what next you’re going to do’,” Kathy says. “I’m going to keep going with the dolls as long as I can.”

Kathy is grateful to anyone who has helped her along the way, and specifically thanks the Post Office and the staff in her local Dealz shop.

“They know what I’m after and keep it for me, [I’m] grateful and thankful to them and to the nurses and staff in the hospital, they’re doing every single thing they can through Covid for the children. And they’re beautiful children, I’ve been up there myself and I see the work they do.”