Walk this way: Hailee is latest Limerick Person of the Month

AN INSPIRATIONAL young girl who has been raising awareness and money for good causes has been named Limerick Person of the Month.

Hailee Guerin set herself a big challenge in August to walk the distance between her home in Murroe to Dublin Zoo, one of her favourite places.

The 10 year-old, her family and friends virtually completed the 196km journey to raise money for Limerick Animal Welfare and the Children's Ark in UHL.

As well as vital funds, Hailee (pictured) also raised awareness around anxiety and mental health issues among children, something she has had to deal with herself.

Hailee was born with a number of health issues and her mother Andrea said she has had anxiety since she was very young.

“We started to notice things when she was around 18 months-old. We were referred to a speech and language therapist who said she had selective mutism.

“We were told not to force her to talk. That lasted until she was five or six and then she slowly started to come out of it.

“Then in April little incidents that happened started to trigger her and she wasn't enjoying things that she loved and she was expressing feelings of anxiety.

“Our GP suggested that she take something up to occupy her mind while she was waiting for a referral to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), that is how the idea for the walk came about.”

The fifth class Scoil Mhuire student said she decided to do the walk because she wanted to raise money for the causes close to her heart.

Hailee has been under the care of Dr Barry Linnane in UHL which is why the little girl chose to raise money for the Children's Ark.

Inspirational Limerick girl to raise awareness of anxiety and mental health issues

Both Andrea and Hailee are encouraging young people to be open about their feelings and talk to someone they trust.

“Even just saying their feelings out loud is a huge help. We try to get the kids to talk as much as possible. Even if it is small things, we want them to come to us with the big things too.

“She talks about it freely in school. She told her classmates all about the walk and what it was about. She is amazing.

“Different things have held her back over the years but she always bounced back.”

One thing that has brought Hailee out of her shell and helped her general wellbeing has been her love for dancing.

She started dancing with the Nicole Sweeney School of Dance in Castleconnell and she hasn't looked back since.

Andrea continued: “She is shy but she found dancing when she was three and she loves it. After two years of sitting on a window sill, not speaking a word or doing any dancing, she began to come out of herself.”

Andrea said she was gobsmacked when she learned her daughter had won the Limerick Person of the Month award and Hailee was delighted with the accolade.

“Honestly, I was blown away. We are just so overwhelmed and grateful. Our whole family is beyond proud of her.”

The Limerick Person of the Month awards are supported by media agency Southern, The Clayton Hotel Limerick and the Limerick Leader/Limerick Live.