OUR STORY
Meet Kayla
Kayla is a 15 year old girl with a rare neurological and developmental disorder called Rett Syndrome. Kayla’s Dad, Emmett, was her full-time carer for eight years after she was diagnosed at two. In that time, through continuous research and working with nutritionists and dieticians at The National Children’s Hospital in Tallaght, he has learned the nutritional and functional benefits of a whole variety of foods.
Looking after a busy household with Kayla's mum Paula travelling for work, Emmett found batch cooking to be the simplest way to manage a young family along with a child of very special needs without compromising on taste or nutritional value. Soon after starting, Kayla’s Kitchen began providing delicious meals for friends and family.
Kayla’s uncle Karl, who passed away from Motor Neurone Disease, used the delivery service during the last year of his life. This gave him the independence he needed to stay in his own home until just before he passed.
Kayla’s grandmother enjoyed our food served to her everyday by her doting husband John until she passed recently from Parkinson's Disease. John orderd every two weeks, taking away the stress and hassle of having to plan, shop and cook for himself and his wife each evening.
During Covid-19 families used our business to take care of each other from afar "sending hugs in a box" so aptly put by one of our customers.
Our business continued to grow until a fire destroyed our premises in May 2022. We relaunched in June 2023 to a very warm welcome from all our customers.
We are a small family business with big dreams.
SHARING OUR VISION
We lived the problem and found the solution. If we had received a box of healthy family meals during the tough years when Kayla was newly diagnosed we would be still thanking the person.
We wanted to open up Kayla’s Kitchen to others who may benefit from ready-made meals of great quality food.
Kayla’s Kitchen is approved by Missy Kayla (she has a very discerning palette for a 12 year old) and by the Tallaght Hospital Diet Clinic, endorsed by her Consultant Paediatrician, Denise McDonald.
WHAT IS RETT SYNDROME?
Rett syndrome is a rare neurological and developmental disorder resulting in physical and intellectual disability. It affects girls almost exclusively – affecting one in ten thousand female births – and most of the girls affected suffer multiple and severe disabilities. It is characterised by normal early development followed by a period of regression at around 18 months where gross motor skills are lost along with any speech that has been developed. Food is a big part of their lives and if they are able to eat orally can bring lots of joy to their day. They don't absorb the nutrients in the same way as others meaning all their food needs to be jam packed with goodness.
