Mother and daughter conquer Camino for children with cancer
CONG natives Sharon and Claire McGrath have conquered the Camino De Santiago in Spain to support children’s cancer charity, Cancer Fund for Children.
Sharon, who is the proprietor of Pat Cohan's Gastropub in Cong, and her mum Claire have raised a staggering €5,400 by walking over 116k in seven days to help Cancer Fund for Children raise funds for a new therapeutic short break facility for children diagnosed with cancer and their families in Co. Mayo.
Cancer Fund for Children currently provide free therapeutic short breaks at their purpose-built facility Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, Co. Down. Short breaks are an opportunity for families coming to terms with the devastation of a childhood cancer diagnosis to relax and spend quality time together in a unique, purpose-built, and peaceful environment, far removed from gruelling cancer treatment and hospital visits.
The charity can currently only provide one in seven families from Ireland with a therapeutic short break. Their new facility, which will be built in an area of outstanding natural beauty at Lisloughery Co. Mayo, will allow the charity to increase the number of families they support from 400 to 800 a year.
Speaking of their motivations to complete this challenge, Sharon said: “As a cancer survivor myself I understand and appreciate how difficult and challenging cancer treatment can be. I can only imagine what it is like for children and their families.
“I am very grateful to be given a second chance and am happy to fundraiser for such a worthy cause. The team at Cancer Fund for Children are doing amazing work and their passion and commitment is inspiring. After all we have to remember children can’t fight cancer alone.”
The duo, who held a number of events, including a tapas night in Pat Cohan's Gastropub, would like to thank the local community and businesses who supported their fundraising efforts. They would like to give special thanks to local chefs Aisling Butler from Butler and Byrne and Michelle McGrath from BIA at Home and the team at Pat Cohan's who volunteered their time, energy and skills to make their tapas night a huge success.
If you would like to support Cancer Fund for Children or find out more about their plans for a new short break centre in Mayo, please contact Belinda Kearns, relationship manager, on (087) 7086 484 or visit www.cancerfundofchildren.ie.