Moylagh JFK 2017

Moylagh 50 Mile Challenge raises €103,599 for cancer services

€475,000 has been raised over 6 years

Organisers of the 6th annual Moylagh JFK 50 Mile challenge are celebrating after they smashed their fundraising target by raising €103,599 for cancer services.

The total amount raised from the endurance challenge was unveiled in McEvoy’s Pub in Dromone, Co. Meath last weekend, with €82, 879 going to support the Irish Cancer Society’s cancer research and services for cancer patients, and €20,070 donated to LARCC Cancer Support.

On the night the Sarah Sadie Fitzsimons Memorial Trophy was presented to Martin Sheridan from Oldcastle who raised €6,676. The trophy is presented each year to the person who raises the most funds and was presented by Sarah’s husband Eamonn and son, Eamonn Jnr.

A total of 770 people, with individuals travelling from every county in Ireland, took part in the Moylagh JFK 50 Mile Challenge this year, with 256 people completing the full 50 mile distance. The challenge inherits its name from an endurance test first handed down by John F Kennedy to the military to cover 50 miles on foot within 20 hours.

Now the largest 50-mile challenge in Europe, the event has grown thanks to the encouragement and generosity of people from Meath, Cavan and Westmeath who are committed to supporting people affected by cancer.

Organisers were heartened by the many messages of appreciation, amazement and above all the sense of pride to have been part of what is now one of the biggest fundraising walks for cancer services in Ireland. The Camino styled walk saw many participants walk in memory of loved ones, with many turning up wearing t-shirts with messages on them while others carried photographs. This year the event had the addition of a Memory Board where people could add photographs and messages as they took off. The board was then moved to the finish line for when the participants returned leading to floods of emotions.

Gerry McDonnell 50 Mile Committee said, “The walk has surpassed our expectations, last year we hit the €100k mark and we didn’t know we could do it again, but it happened. We had a lot more people this year than last year, and more help too. We now stand at over €475,000 and that is some achievement for a small community. We are already planning next year and hoping to grow on the success of this year. To all the people who took part we would like to sincerely thank them, they are the ones who travelled from every county in Ireland. They are the ones who raised this amount of money. A very special thanks to everyone who helped out on the day, we had an increase in number here also and it is amazing to see people coming together to help out in such a way. Our goal for the future of the walk is to grow to 1,000 participants next year, and be the biggest 50 mile challenge in the world. We have the support behind us and we know we can do it.”

John McCormack, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society said, “I am truly taken aback by the money you have raised to help support people affected by cancer. The cancer experience can be a very difficult one, but this money will help ensure no one has to face that journey alone. Thank you to the committee who dedicated many hours of their time to organise the event, to the participants for testing their endurance on the challenge and all those who donated. Your support will make an immense difference to those affected by cancer, helping to fund services like Night Nursing and also lifesaving cancer research to improve ways of detecting and treating cancer.”

Bernie McHugh of LARCC said “Cancer Support Sanctuary LARCC is very grateful to have been the recipient of funds from the Moylagh JFK 50 Mile Challenge. These Funds have been used to create and furnish a new counselling room on the ground floor of our Centre in Multyfarnham and also to furnish and add materials and supplies to the Children’s Play Therapy Room on the first floor. The funds have also been ploughed directly into service provision allowing LARCC to continue to provide free counselling and therapies to people in the surrounding area affected by cancer.”