Barretstown wants the public to become Secret Santas for a special reason

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Except, for some people it might not be. Those living with a child or family member with a serious illness might find Christmas to be a little tougher to manage, relax during, or even just enjoy. It's for that reason that Barreststown are asking the public to become Secret Santas to bring a smile to children who might need it the most. Their festive fundraising campaign #SmilesBetter kicked off today and encouraged the public to give donations to Barretstown this Christmas instead of sending gifts or cards. Barretstown CEO, Dee Ahearn, said that the campaign hopes to make children's smiles bright this holiday season. She said:

"When a child becomes seriously ill, family life becomes about survival: hospital appointments, surgery, injections, the list goes on and smiles soon fade. "This year as part of our #SmilesBetter campaign we are asking the public to become ‘Secret Santas’ and support our festive appeal to bring smiles to the faces of sick children across the country."

You can find out more about the campaign, or make a donation, here.