Jennifer’s Make A Wish dream is made come true
By Mary Dennehy
THE family and friends of a young Ballyfermot woman who passed away from Cystic Fibrosis in 2014 recently celebrated their loved one on what would have been her 30th birthday – and made her dream of raising money for children’s charity Make A Wish come true.
Before passing away at the age of 26, Jennifer Tormey always wanted to raise money for the children’s charity which made her wish come true nine years earlier.
However, due to her illness, it was one dream Jennifer did not manage to make a reality – until her family and friends united last Friday and raised more than €3,000 for the charity in her memory.
Speaking with The Echo this week Jennifer’s younger sister Edel remembered her sister as a person “full of life”, and who was the “soul of every party”.
“My family is lost without Jennifer,” Edel said.
“She was really bubbly and never let CF stop her from doing what she wanted.”
A former student of St Louise’s and Caritas College, Jennifer was outgoing and funny and, according to her sister Edel, believed she was known around Ballyfermot for her “very high shoes that she couldn’t walk in”.
Edel said: “She was mad into fashion and mad into Christina Aguilera . . . and in 2005, Make A Wish brought my whole family to LA to meet her.
“It was amazing, all five of us were brought to LA for one week and we got to meet Christina Aguilera in a hotel . . . and she stayed and talked with us for more than two hours.
“We still look back on that week as one of the best family memories and up until her final days Jennifer still spoke of how it was such an amazing day.
“The impact Make A Wish had on our family was huge.
“They give an amazing gift to sick children and their families and Jennifer always wanted to give something back, but sadly she passed away before getting to fulfil that dream.”
However, last Friday night in the Plaza Hotel in Tallaght, Jennifer’s friends and family gathered to celebrate Jennifer’s 30 – which was a fundraiser for Make A Wish.
“It was a great night,” Edel said. “Jennifer loved karaoke so we held a karoke night in aid of Make A Wish . . . and raised around €3,000, with money still coming in.
“A big thank you to everyone who came along on the night or who bought raffle tickets or donated prizes, we’re delighted that we can hand the money raised over to Make A Wish for Jennifer.
“We’d also like to thank Jennifer’s cousin Jonathan Heart who was the main organiser.”
For further information on Make A Wish or to donate, visit www.makeawish.ie
