Cody’s long road
Cody McCabe celebrated his ninth birthday recently. Another milestone the young man passed was the 100km point as he undertook a charity cycle during lent to raise money for Cavan General Hospital.
Cody took it on himself to cover the distance between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. He did it in spades as he completed a journey of 124km raising €1,440. He gifted the money to the Oncology Unit in Cavan.
He had a special motivation for his endeavour. “It all started out because I didn't really want to give up sweets for lent. I said to my mam I would like to do something like raising money for a charity with a cycle. I felt bad for all the people who had to go to hospital,” he told the Celt.
The young man's mum, Angeline McCabe, is understandably chuffed with the achievement of her son: “I am so proud of him. We sat at the table before lent started and he was a bit annoyed he had to give up sweets.
“There was no football, no Taekwondo and he wasn't seeing his friend in school. I told him not to worry about lent this year, but he said he would like do something. He loves his bike and suggested the 100km with the hope to raise €200 for the Oncology Unit in Cavan General hospital where his granny, my mother, was attending for treatment,” Angeline explained.
Cody's granny was Geraldine Casey or Granny Ger as she was affectionately known. Sadly she passed away last month while Cody was in the middle of his fundraiser.
The cycle was supported by family and friends who got regular updates on Cody's progress. “We normally went to the Orchard and back,” Cody outlined his well worked route. “On St Patrick's Day we done 11 kilometres. My mam has an app installed on her phone and it tracks how many kilometres we do.”
Every time he completed a cycle, Cody sent a screen grab of where we went and how far to everyone who donated. “Everyone was cheering him on and that kept him going,” Angeline explained.
Cody got great support from his school friends: “I am in second class in Butlersbridge where Mrs Murphy is my teacher. I told the whole class and most of them came to my house and gave me money.”
Angeline said the achievement was tinged with sadness: “My Mam was so proud of his achievement, but sadly passed away three weeks ago on 11th April. Cody got a lot of help on his cycle from his daddy, Steven McCabe, and even his little brother Corey (who is about to turn three) gave him support.”
Cody went to Cavan General to make the official donation. “The lovely nurses in the unit met us on Friday morning before school for a picture,” Angeline said, with Cody adding, “They said 'well done' and give me a big packet of sweet that I got to share with my friends.”
The suggestion that this was the best lent outcome ever drew a positive response: “Yeah, it was,” Cody concluded.