Mayo native and wife to receive Presidential Distinguished Service Award

A MAYO native and his wife have been announced as recipients of a 2022 Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad.

US-based Ciaran and Orlaith Staunton have been recognised for their life-saving work to end sepsis deaths.

The couple founded END SEPSIS, the Legacy of Rory Staunton in 2013 as the Rory Staunton Foundation for Sepsis Prevention following the undiagnosed, untreated, and preventable death of their 12-year-old son Rory from sepsis in New York.

END SEPSIS is a movement of families and individuals across America and the globe who demand better infection education and hospital safety measures to ensure there are no more needless deaths from sepsis, a preventable and treatable disease.

The Presidential Distinguished Service Award was established by the government following the 2011 Global Irish Economic Forum as a means to recognise the contribution of members of the Irish diaspora and was first awarded in 2012.

Announcing the award recipients, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to formally recognise the achievements of high-achieving members of our diaspora and their contribution to Ireland and to Irish communities abroad. Their service and commitment is a shining example to us all and I am delighted that they have been selected to be honoured by President Michael D. Higgins in such a fitting manner.

“This is the 11th year of these distinguished and much-cherished awards and it is an opportunity each year to acknowledge those who have, through their work, helped in different ways to burnish Ireland’s reputation across the globe.”

The awards will be presented by President Higgins at a ceremony in Áras an Uachtaráin later this year.