Bittersweet 40th birthday for Chris with his dad gone

IT WILL be a bittersweet 40th birthday for Ballyfermot man Chris Gilmartin this year.

Last June, his father James (66) lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) the day before James’s 39th birthday.

It presents a conflict of emotions for Chris’s 40th on June 20 and the family will essentially be hosting a remembrance and birthday celebration, but the timing isn’t the only painful reminder.

“Yesterday was a hard day, we were both big Liverpool football fans,” said Chris, in reference to Liverpool beating Tottenham to secure the Premier League title.

“He was very sick on the Tuesday last year and I said to him ‘If you die before my birthday, I’ll kill you’, recalled Chris of the banter they engaged in.

There was a league title Liverpool won five years ago which counts among the many happier times shared between father and son, and also between James’s daughter Georgette, his six grandchildren, wider family and friends.

“Eighteen months ago he suffered a heart attack and that brought on Motor Neurone. He fought till the very end and went very peacefully,” said Chris.

“Dad worked in CVP Plastics in Kylemore, he never missed a day. He worked up until 8-10 years ago when he had a bad fall on his leg. He was through the mill, diagnosed with cancer, the heart and then MND.”

MND causes muscle weakness that gradually gets worse with no cure but treatment can help manage the symptoms.

James initially went to Peamount Hospital but was moved to Tallaght Hospital when his condition worsened.

“With MND you lose your speech but he was using a pad to write down funny things like ‘the nurses are trying to kill me’.

‘My Dad said to me when he still had speech ‘why don’t you start running again?’ because it was something I used to do,” said Chris.

Chris is now an ambassador for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) and is part of their fundraising efforts which include “40k Your Way in May” – a nationwide challenge encouraging people to walk, jog, run, cycle or swim 40 kilometres in whatever way suits them best.

“Last year I ran 120km in a month and this year I am planning to run 160km,” said Chris.

The IMNDA invites people to take part in 40K Your Way in May to raise vital funds for those living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in Ireland.

The 2025 campaign is a special one, marking 40 years of care provided by IMNDA who have supported thousands of families with specialist nursing care, essential equipment, and home support.

With over 85 per cent of the organisation’s income coming from fundraising, campaigns like this are crucial to sustaining life-enhancing services.

Registration is free HERE and all participants receive a limited-edition “40K Your Way in May” cap and a kilometre tracker card to help them stay on course.