Related Stories

• Wonderful talent at Mai Rafferty concert
  
  
• Extended hours for telephone counselling service
  
  
• Memories from June 1993 – Avondhu news snippets
  
  
• Ballyhoura Tidy Towns awards announcement in Castleconnell, Co Limerick
  
  
• Bestselling author at Fermoy Library
  
  
• New possibilities for Leahy family at Dungourney Open Farm
  
  
• Cork Arc Cancer Support House annual collection in Fermoy
  
  
• Glenville National School’s sixth class farewell party an emotional occasion
  
  
• Niall supports Rebels!
  
  
• Girls from Kilworth, Castletownroche and Kildorrery to take the jump for charity
  
  
• Galbally gets green with NS green flag
  
  
• Kilshanna scholarship could open doors and unleash opportunities
  
  

Joanne O’Riordan with Orla Dolan, Anne O’Sullivan and Pat Forde (Breakthrough Cancer Research), John McMahon and Jackson the Pony at the launch of the Malin to Mizen horse by horse and carriage in Millstreet. Photo: Joe Prendergast

Cancer is something that unfortunately touches the lives of many, but funding for research is the only light at the end of the tunnel and a local group have come up with a novel fundraiser to travel from Malin to Mizen Head by horse and carriage to raise money for Breakthrough Cancer Research.

From July 9-19, John McMahon from Kilbehenny and Dan Joe Spillane from Ballinagree will be taking the reins for the epic journey, with Joanne O'Riordan, of 'No Limbs, No Limits' as the face of the fundraiser.

Ahead of the big trip, there will be a fundraising dance in Kilcoran Lodge Hotel with music by Dave Mulcahy on this Saturday, June 28 and all are welcome.

Orla Dolan of Breakthrough Cancer Research lives in Coolagown and she said that fundraisers like this allow them to give patients more options and the patients can be part of the research by collaborating with the researchers in the lab to make the research more focussed on what is needed from their perspective.

She added that there are many cancers out there now, which people would not have survived ten years ago, but that has changed now.

Half of the money needed to run Breakthrough Cancer Research comes from the public and fundraisers like this, so she urged people to support the fundraiser and give what they can to such a worthy cause.

Speaking at the launch, Dan Joe Spillane said that he has been to the lab and has seen the good work they do, but that they are going to move to a new section of UCC and will need all the money they can get to continue their research there.

"There is nobody here that hasn't got somebody close to them or extended family who hasn't been touched by cancer - it's a plague in my books.

"I hope that we can get enough money together to relieve the pain for people and to get rid of cancer altogether in time.

"I hope that for the young people here, by the time they get to my age that cancer will be eliminated," he said.

As the face of the fundraiser, Joanne O'Riordan who has inspired so many with her own courageous story of living with no limbs said, 'Life is the answer for curing cancer', as the catchphrase for the fundraiser.

John McMahon thanked everyone who has supported the fundraiser so far, Pat Fleming as Treasurer who will make sure every cent raised goes to Breakthrough Cancer Research, Adva sign in Fermoy for doing the posters and Kilcoran Lodge Hotel for providing the function room for the dance.

All support for this Saturday's dance and the upcoming trip would be greatly appreciated, as all of the money raised will be helping to forward cancer research- your donation now will help the patients of the future.

blog comments powered by Disqus