Friends of the Coombe is a registered charity that was established in 1982 to assist the development of the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, support its vital research programmes and enhance the care it gives to patients and their families. Since it was founded in 1826, the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital has distinguished itself as a world-class medical centre of excellence, providing care for babies and women of all ages. The hospital is one of the largest and most comprehensive providers of women and infant healthcare in Europe and, as a national referral hospital, takes care of patients with the most complex of obstetric, paediatric and gynaecological conditions from right across the country and, in some instances, from across the island of Ireland.