ORGANISERS of the seventh annual Make Your Mark on Cancer charity walk have announced that this year's walk raised €50,000 for the Mercy University Hospital Foundation.
ORGANISERS of the seventh annual Make Your Mark on Cancer charity walk have announced that this year’s walk raised €50,000 for the Mercy University Hospital Foundation.
An additional €5,000 was raised for Marymount University Hospital and Hospice.
Hundreds of people turned out for 22km walk from The Viaduct on the N71 to the Town Hall in Bandon which took place on July 21st.
Vital funds raised for the Mercy University Hospital Foundation are in aid of the development of the Mercy Cancer CARE Centre and the hospital’s Psycho-Oncology services.
Established in 2013 in memory of Bandon man Mark Prendergast, who sadly lost his battle with testicular cancer in June 2012, the ‘Make Your Mark on Cancer’ charity walk has been supported by the people of Cork and afar since day one. Commenting on the support, Eoin Prendergast, Mark’s brother and one of the founding members of the walk said: ‘Following Mark’s passing in 2012, we wanted to do something special in his memory, as well as giving back to the Mercy and Marymount for the amazing care and support the provided Mark and our family during what was a very difficult time. We never imagined we would have raised this huge sum of money already but the support from day one has been overwhelming. If people can’t participate on the day of the walk, they often participate the day before or the day after which is amazing. Local software firm RedHat even completed a bed push on the day to raise as much funds as possible.’
Like the Prendergast family, many more families will continue to endure the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis. The funds raised through the ‘Make Your Mark on Cancer’ charity walk will go towards the Mercy University Hospital Foundation’s development of a new Cancer Care Centre, having secured a building this summer.
The dedicated centre will support people diagnosed with cancer on their journey. Funds raised will also go towards the Mercy University Hospital’s Psycho-Oncology service for the increasing number of patients who require professional help to overcome disabling psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression following a cancer diagnosis.
