2 miles. 26 counties. 26 hours. €9,272 for The Mercy.

05 December 2016

The Back 2 Back Challenge, which was led by Tralee woman, Brenda Doody, raised a total of €9,272, which was officially presented to The Mercy Hospital Foundation on November 25th.

 

Back 2 Back was an action-packed challenge that saw participants kick off their journey outside The Mercy University Hospital at 8am on September 26th, run their first two miles in Kerry, travel the length and breadth of Ireland covering 52 miles on foot, and finish in Cork exactly 26 hours later.

 

Funds raised by this innovative endurance challenge will go towards a new Fluoroscopy X-ray Unit for the Regional Centre for Gastroenterology at the Mercy University Hospital, which will assist doctors in staging and treating patients with tumours in the oesophagus, stomach, bowel, pancreas and liver. 

 

In 2015, Brenda undertook another epic challenge, completing 12 marathons in eight months, raising €30,000 for the Mercy University Hospital, where her husband Pat was successfully treated for oesophageal cancer in 2014.

 

Speaking about the successful Back 2 Back Challenge, Brenda said “Back 2 Back was a challenge that I was able to share with a core group of people who are as passionate about helping the Mercy as I am. Over the 26 hours we formed a strong bond, got a buzz as we arrived in each new county, ran in darkness, ran in light, and formed friendships that will last much longer than those 26 hours. I would like to thank those that joined me, as well as Paddy Wagon Tours, who kindly sponsored the bus and two drivers Freddie and Eduardo to bring us safely on our journey.”

 

Brenda was joined on Back 2 Back by Deirdre Finn, the Mercy Hospital Foundation; Geraldine O’Sullivan from Bantry; Aidan Quirke and Gearoid Buckley from Bandon; Moya Muldowney from Cobh; Veronica Fitzgerald from Togher; Noreen Cashman from Midleton; Joan Kennedy from Cashel; Liz Browne from Tipperary; and Freddie and Eduardo from Paddy Wagon Tours.

 

Thanking the Back 2 Back team, Deirdre Finn, Campaigns & Community Manager at the Mercy Hospital Foundation said “Our mission is to inspire people to support advancements in research, diagnosis, treatments and care of patients at The Mercy University Hospital, the People’s Hospital. It’s not often we get to take a life-saving action… an action that will impact and directly improve your life or the life of another, but that is what our Back 2 Back team did. Funds raised by this dedicated team will go towards The Mercy Cancer Appeal which will help Mercy Hospital patients facing cancer.”

 

For more information please call (021) 4274076 or visit www.mercyfundraising.ie.