Take on Ireland’s first virtual marathon this July and help stop cancer

Top Irish beauty blogger amongst hundreds signed up for Irish Cancer Society’s new digital campaign Marathon in a Month

Registration is open for Ireland’s first virtual marathon, the Irish Cancer Society’s Marathon in a Month, which will see participants digitally track their progress as they complete the distance of a marathon over the course of July.

The Irish Cancer Society is moving with the times and bringing its fundraising digital this summer as it asks members of the public to walk, jog or run 42km while raising funds for vital cancer research and services to support people affected by cancer.

Almost 400 people have already signed up, including cancer survivors, people walking in memory of loved ones and those who just want to increase their level of activity while fundraising for a good cause. Each participant can link their everydayhero online fundraising page to their finesses app and keep track of their progress as they raise money to help the 40,000 people in Ireland who will be diagnosed with cancer this year.

[[{"fid":"7103","view_mode":"preview","fields":{"format":"preview","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Portrait of Irish blogger and cancer survivor Sinéad Kavanagh","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"2":{"format":"preview","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Portrait of Irish blogger and cancer survivor Sinéad Kavanagh","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"alt":"Portrait of Irish blogger and cancer survivor Sinéad Kavanagh","style":"float: right; margin: 2px;","class":"media-element file-preview","data-delta":"2"}}]]Cancer survivor Sinéad Kavanagh, who set up her popular blog The Beautiful Truth during her cancer treatment, is tackling Marathon in a Month and is encouraging others to join her team.

In 2013, at the age of 31, Sinéad was diagnosed with thyroid cancer after feeling unwell for about 18 months.

“Thankfully my cancer story is one with a happy ending and after a complete thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine treatment and a little bit of TLC, I was given the all clear,” she said.

Now a busy mother to her 11-month old son, Sinéad is leading out a team taking on the 42km distance this July. “I started The Beautiful Truth when I was diagnosed with cancer in 2013. Thankfully that is all behind me now, but when I was sick I used the Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Centre and the Cancer Nurse really helped me at a time when I needed it. Now I want to give back to help others facing a cancer diagnosis. Join my Marathon in a Month team now on www.cancer.ie/marathoninamonth and help fund this important work.”

Mark Mellett, Head of Fundraising at the Irish Cancer Society said, “Get active this July and take part in your own personal marathon and make a difference to the lives of people affected by cancer.

"Take on the Marathon in a Month challenge and make every step matter by getting your friends to sponsor you and help us to provide care, information and support for cancer patients and their families.

“You can walk, run or jog your Marathon in a Month, at your own speed and in your own time, but the main thing is you can do it, you can complete a marathon! It can be over a few hours, days or weeks, in your local park, on the way to work, at home, or abroad, this is a marathon everyone can complete. To be a part of this epic challenge, join the team today at www.cancer.ie/marathoninamonth and help support families across Ireland who are affected by cancer.”

The Irish Cancer Society relies almost entirely on donations from members of the public to fund its work, which includes services for people affected by cancer such as the Society’s 13 Daffodil Centres and freephone Cancer Nurseline 1800 200 700 which provided free advice and information to over 42,000 people last year. The Society’s Night Nursing Service provided over 8,000 nights of care for cancer patients at end of life last year, while the Volunteer Driver Service provided free transportation for patients to attend 11,000 chemotherapy appointments.

Money raised will also fund innovative cancer research projects, with €20m invested into lifesaving research by the Society since 2010. This investment has supported more than 150 cancer researchers to work on a diverse range of individual or collaborative projects that will ultimately lead to better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer.

For more information or to register to participate in Marathon in a Month visit www.cancer.ie/marathoninamonth.