MICHAEL Minehane from Kealkill will begin his first marathon at Malin Head on May 16th, and run 14 more over the following 14 days to finish at Mizen Head on May 30th.
This marathon man is doing it for a special reason: to raise funds for the LauraLynn charity, because of the love and support it is providing for his niece Lucy.
Attempting 15 marathons in 15 days is a daunting task, but Michael has been training around West Cork since last October.
10 years ago, Michael completed a similar fundraiser, that time for the Jack and Jill Foundation.
Michael told The Southern Star that this story is not about him, however, and that it’s about Lucy and LauraLynn, the charity which supported 670 families last year alone.
Lucy’s parents, Marian and Cathal, explained that their beloved 12-year-old daughter was born with a long list of complications due to a virus called CMV which damaged her brain in utero.
Lucy is non-verbal, a wheelchair user, has a PEG tube, epilepsy, severe reflux and is severely developmentally delayed. Pain in her gut can trigger a movement disorder, which means her body cannot rest, and she cannot switch off for sleep.
Marian and Cathal said they aim to keep Lucy comfortable at home in Glengarriff, and they avoid hospital visits if at all possible.
All of this, they say, is only possible with the help of her amazing GPs, nurses and carers because they cannot do it on their own, and they also have to try to make life as normal as possible for Lucy’s sisters Mary (13) and Maggie (9).
When LauraLynn came on board, Marian and Cathal said the solace they felt was immense. ‘We felt ourselves breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that we would have extra support from professionals who know exactly what this journey is like.’
One of the things that brings Lucy the most pleasure is music, and she gets regular home visits from the LauraLynn music therapist.
Her parents said this is one of the supports that brings her so much joy and gives her a sense of calm and comfort when she is in pain.’
Among the services provided by LauraLynn are symptom management for children, music and play therapy, psychological support, family and sibling camps, short breaks, crisis care, as well as end of life care.
It also provides vital bereavement support to families after they have lost a child.
For this, and all of the work that it does the length and breadth of the country, it has a €10m fundraising target in 2025.
Donations can be made to Michael’s fundraiser via iDonate.
