Relay For Life has raised over €4.4m for cancer patients

Relay For Life has raised over €4.4m for cancer patients

By Maurice Garvey

RELAY For Life Ballyfermot has played a part in raising over €4.4m for cancer patients in Ireland, reports Maurice Garvey.

The Relay events first began in Ireland in 2009, and since then communities across the country, including Ballyfermot, have raised over €4.4m between them for the Irish Cancer Society.

Relay for Life

Relay For Life Ballyfermot has played a part in raising over €4.4m for cancer patients in Ireland

Over the last six years, Relay for Life Ballyfermot has raised over €100,000 for the ICS.

Cherry Orchard brothers Wayne, Daniel and Kevin McGarry, started the initiative in 2013 to honour their mother Patty McGarry, who passed away that year after suffering from a cancer related illness.

The Ballyfermot event has proved incredibly popular with thousands of people involved in the 24-hour event at Le Fanu Park every Summer, attending candle ceremonies and taking part in a 24-hour run in the park.

Relay events celebrate the lives of cancer survivors, remembering those lost to the disease and encouraging people to fight back by raising awareness of cancer and funding vital research and support services of the ICS.

Daniel said: “We’ve raised over €100k in the last six years which is amazing. It just goes to show the strength and support of our little town. When we started this, we wanted to help raise money for vital services like Care To Drive and Night Nurses.

“While doing this we managed to bring a community together and give cancer survivors hope and support. We’re so proud of what we’ve been able to achieve as a committee and as a community. It really does make you proud to be from Ballyfermot.”

Daniel said the Ballyfemot Relay is back again this year on August 3/4 and “hopefully bigger and better.”

For more information on Relay For Life events, or to start one in your community, visit https://www.cancer.ie/get-involved/fundraise/major-fundraising-drives/relay-for-life#sthash.kcjGHml1.dpbs

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