The Coagh woman is mum to five-year-old Reuben Kirkpatrick, who was born with a congenital heart disease.
Trips in the ambulance, which is specially kitted out to help kids relax and is in service thanks to the efforts of the Children’s Heartbeat Trust, have been a regular occurrence over the last few years.
Roberta hailed the charity for the support it has provided families facing difficult circumstances with ill children – and for a winter service that’s easing pressure on beds and allowing children to be closer to home for Christmas.
Reuben Kirkpatrick (5) in the ambulance (Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph)
She said: “This was funded by the Children’s Heartbeat Trust. I can’t thank them enough for the difference they have made to our lives.
“Reuben has spent a lot of hours in there travelling between Belfast and Dublin and he loves it. He has half a heart and has had two surgeries recently, the last one in August of this year.
“It gives you a certain peace of mind. I know now that he’s comfortable when travelling. It’s not as clinical or frightening as it would be in a normal hospital setting.
“He’s happy, content and actually enjoys being out of the hospital setting to get a little spin up and down the road with Toy Story on and all the lights. It’s almost like a treat for him.
Roberta Donnelly, mum of Reuben Kirkpatrick (Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph)
“I fundraise throughout the year for them now. They’ve been so good to me. I want to pay back for all they have done for Reuben.
“He has had a rough ride since he was born, and all you want is for him to be comfortable and content.
“The fact that it has a sensory focus is so important as it means there will be plenty to distract children from what can be a stressful, daunting and worrying journey. And a happier child makes for a happier mum.
“Reuben’s condition affects every aspect of his life and adds a lot of extra stress as a parent as it’s constantly at the back of my mind.
“He tires a lot easier than other children his age and is more prone to seasonal illnesses and viruses due to his added vulnerability.
“Since the ambulance was introduced, it has been an absolute blessing for families that are making the trip to Dublin for hospital treatment.”
Reuben Kirkpatrick (5), who is one of the service users for Northern Ireland’s only bespoke children’s Ambulance, with his mum Roberta Donnelly and paediatric transport nurse Natasha Butler, at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children on 9th December 2025 (Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph)
As well as being fully equipped with the latest specialist medical equipment, the ambulance has a number of features including space-themed decor on the interior walls, sensory equipment to calm younger children and PlayStation and tablet facilities for entertainment – something members of the Northern Ireland specialist transport and retrieval team had a hand in designing.
Nurse Natasha Butler has spent more time travelling in the children’s ambulance than most as part of that team.
She said: “This is basically for the paediatric team to use. It’s for reducing anxiety in patients who need to be transferred between hospitals, and it works really well.
“It has been in operation since January 2023. We wanted to find ways to make the children feel more relaxed as it can be a very anxious time for them and their families.”
And it’s in winter that the ambulance really comes into its own.
Paediatric transport nurse Natasha Butler (Luke Jervis/Belfast Telegraph)
“Children with really complex needs and serious conditions. We got some very positive feedback from parents on how it helps their children feel a lot more settled.“We have a lot of children who have to travel in the ambulance quite a few times,” she added.
“That helps the parents become a lot more settled and makes the whole transfer procedure for children a much easier experience to manage.
“My main goal is making sure the patient is happy and safe. You want to do everything you can to make sure they are feeling comfortable. That makes the whole process a lot smoother. Transfers to Dublin can be a two-hour journey.
“We have a twilight service running through the winter months. The whole point of having that service is to free up front-line vehicles.
“That helps us transfer kids from the children’s hospital to local hospitals. It’s for children who still need medical care but not necessarily the specialist treatment available here in Belfast.
“They can be closer to home over the Christmas period which can really help parents and families, but it also frees up those specialists beds here in Belfast.
“It all helps in freeing up beds for children who might need that urgent care.”
Following a hugely successful ‘Mile A Day’ fundraising campaign in 2021, the Children’s Heartbeat Trust raised over £133,000 which enabled the charity to commission the ambulance with the support of the transport and retrieval team and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.