Phil Collins drum head raises over €3,000 for Mayo Sunflower Hospice
A framed drum head signed by Phil Collins has raised €3,032.35 for the Sunflower Children's Hospice, Ireland's first children's hospice on the Western Seaboard.
The Galway Drum Show auction was held in memory of talented young drummer Adam Nagajek, who died last year at the age of 17 after being diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at just nine years old.
Adam joined the Galway Drum Show when he was 16. Despite never having taken drum lessons, he achieved a top-three national placing. Music remained a huge part of his life, and he continued creating and performing even during his final months.
Adam's mother, Ola Nagajek, said she was delighted the family could support the Sunflower Children's Hospice through the show's silent auction. She explained that Adam was moved into adult hospitals once he turned 16, and had limited access to paediatric services.
While the family did receive paediatric palliative care in his final weeks, much of his care took place within adult services despite him being only 16 and 17 years old.
Mrs Nagajek said she wanted to help other children and young adults like Adam so they are not left behind, adding that the Sunflower Children's Hospice will provide a hugely important service for families across the West of Ireland.
She thanked the Galway Drum Show for its support, describing Adam as a hugely talented drummer who formed a band in 2023.
Even after he spent his last few months in bed, he continued playing music, produced for other bands and worked on his own material until the end of his life.
The family had a home studio which he loved. Mrs Nagajek said Adam left behind music that his band Talllon, and other bands, are now bringing to life, and that this gives her great comfort knowing his legacy lives on.
The funds raised will go towards the construction of the eight-bed Sunflower Children's Hospice in Mayo, with construction expected to begin later this year.
The hospice will provide specialist palliative care for children with life-limiting illnesses, alongside purpose-built family accommodation and therapeutic facilities including hydrotherapy, play therapy and sensory rooms.
Once complete, it will support children and families from across the western seaboard, providing compassionate, specialist care closer to home.
Martina Jennings, CEO of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, thanked Ola and the Galway Drum Show for choosing to support the Sunflower Children's Hospice.
She said families like Adam's highlight why the service is so urgently needed in the West of Ireland, and that every contribution brings the project closer to creating a dedicated space where children, young adults and their families can receive the specialist care and support they deserve.
John Tierney of the Galway Drum Show said the group was delighted to support such a fantastic charity and would continue to do so in the future, adding that the drum community will always support each other.