Charity walk makes a €52,873 mark on Mercy's Cancer Centre

THIS year’s Make Your Mark on Cancer walk raised €52,873 for the construction and development of the Mercy Hospital Foundation’s proposed new Cancer CARE Centre.

526 people participated in the fifth annual 22km charity walk last July from The Viaduct to Bandon, which was started in memory of Bandon’s Mark Prendergast who lost his battle with testicular cancer in June 2012. 

This dedicated group is committed to making a difference, raising funds and awareness for cancer patients and their families from all over Munster, and to date they have raised in excess of €252,000 for cancer services at the Mercy University Hospital. Funds raised through this year’s walk will go towards the centre close to the hospital on Wood Street. 

It will provide a space for people diagnosed with cancer, to support them along their cancer journey.  

It will offer Mercy patients as well as their families the practical, emotional and social support that people with cancer need.  

Damien Prendergast, Mark’s brother and Chairman of the organising committee said: ‘Our aim this year was to reach the €250,000 milestone, and through the fantastic support of participants and sponsors we are thrilled to announce we’ve exceeded that. Through our fundraising efforts we are helping to support and help people who are diagnosed with cancer and their families by offering them a place to go for information, help, and support. When patients and their families are facing the darkest days of their lives we want them to feel strengthened by the services on offer at Mercy Cancer CARE Centre.’

Speaking at the proposed site of the new Cancer CARE Centre, Micheál Sheridan, CEO at the Mercy Hospital Foundation added: ‘With one in four of us expected to have cancer at some point in our lives, it is likely that we, or someone close to us will have the experience of being given the devastating news “it’s cancer”. At the Mercy Hospital Foundation we want to make sure that this news is told in the most supportive environment possible and that is why we want to build this centre next door to The Mercy. 100% of the funding necessary to design, build and operate this centre will come from fundraising and donations and that is why those who ‘Make their Mark on Cancer’ year after year are so important to us. I congratulate and thank each and every person who has made a mark through this tremendous fundraiser.’