A Dungiven family are holding a charity event to show their appreciation to all the medical staff in the Coronary Care Units of Altnagelvin and The Royal Victoria, Hospitals, who they feel went ‘beyond the call of duty’ while caring for their late mother.
Ruairi and Tomas McCloskey along with their father Tommy, are holding the event tomorrow (Saturday, September 10) at St Canice’s GAA Club in Dungiven.
Ruairi and Tomas’ mother, Antoinette fell ill back in October last year. During medial investigations it was discovered that she had been living with a heart condition. In December, the 58 year-old underwent heart surgery at the Royal Hospital in Belfast.
The operation was declared a success by her surgeons but just a matter of weeks later, Antoinette took ill again and at the end of January, she sadly passed away.
Her family now want to give something back to the two hospitals that treated her during her illness.
Tomorrow's fundraiser will consist of a NI Athletics Registered 10K and 5k chip timed run and 5k fun run/ walk, which will depart St Canice’s GAA Grounds at 11am. The first 100 people registered for the run will receive a free DriFit sponsored t-shirt.
The evening’s events will include entertainment from ‘All Folk’d up’ starting at 9pm sharp in St Canice’s GAA Hall, with a happy hour and drink promotions from 8.30pm.
Some of the fantastic prizes which will be auctioned off on the night include a helicopter trip around the North Coast, sports memorabilia including a signed Liverpool jersey from 2014, a signed 2014 Tipperary hurling jersey, a 2016 Kilkenny signed hurling jersey, a 1993 Derry All-Ireland winning team jersey as well as signed boxing gloves belonging to two weight world champion, Carl Frampton.
Other unique prizes on the night include a co-driver seat test session with Declan Boyle in his WRC Fiesta (pictured.) Also up for grabs is a co-driver seat with Seamus O’Connell in his Mark 2 Escort at Shackleton Turkey Run Rally in December.
There will also be a number of other prizes including a mystery item which the family believe will be highly sought after.
All money raised from the event will be donated to CCU at Altnagelvin Hospital and ICU CC at Royal Hospital, Belfast.
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