Husband embraces physical struggle

CHARITY Cycle for Cuan raises €10k

A Crosserlough man whose wife is battling cancer has raised over €10k for Cuan, Cavan, writes Michelle Taite.

Ray Donohoe’s wife, Jennifer, was diagnosed with cancer in October when doctors discovered a tumour on her brain following a seizure she suffered at work.

As a result, the pair became accustomed to daily runs up the M3 to Dublin. The frequency of trips and rising fuel prices quickly began to add up financially for the couple.

“The drive alone was a serious cost,” says Ray. “There’s a lot of people out there at the minute in hard times that just can’t afford that, or don’t have people to bring them.

“We were very fortunate that Jennifer’s father, sisters and friends were fit to bring her up and down the road as well.”

Ray decided to take it upon himself to alleviate some stress of those in a similar position.

“I just wanted to be able to give back. I decided to do a fundraiser of some description and I was talking to a mate of mine who had done the Ring of Kerry before and I said ‘That’s the one I’m going to do - the Ring of Kerry’.”

Ray and his friend Noel Smith set off on their charity cycle on July 2, determined to complete 170 kilometres on their bicycles in one day.

The already difficult task was worsened by horrendous weather conditions.

“We had every sort of weather on the day. There was wind, rain, sunshine, there was everything.

“The body was giving up after about 100k I suppose. I just kept at it and I kept thinking to myself about why I was doing it and that’s what pushed me on for the 72 kilometres that was left.”

The determined husband was not a cyclist on the best of days and admits the task was a huge struggle, which was exactly why he did it; to empathise with patients like Jennifer who were facing the disease head on.

“I’m not a cyclist. I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone. People go through a lot when they get bad news and they’re diagnosed and what they have to go through to beat it. I wanted to put myself through a bit of that pace.”

Ray finished the cycle in nine and a half hours, despite the odds that were stacked against him, and he couldn’t have been happier to see the finish line.

“You have no idea”, laughed Ray. “Delighted is an understatement.”

“For a cyclist to do it, it’s probably a big achievement - but for someone who’s not a cyclist to take it on, and successfully finish it was fantastic. There were so many other bicycles there that were pulled up and never finished. It was a big big achievement.”

What topped off the experience for Ray, was the incredible funds he raised in the process.

“I didn’t think it would have gone as well to be honest but it turned out very well. Even at the start of it I wasn’t expecting anything near that amount. Cuan set the target and I was a wee bit hesitant at the start thinking - God, that’s a lot of money, but it pulled through, thank God.”

Since being diagnosed, Jennifer has undergone two brain operations, radiotherapy, and is currently four months into her 47 weeks of chemotherapy.

“She’s going good. She’s probably about six months into it at this stage. She’s at the chemotherapy, but it’s tough, it takes it out of her,” says the concerned husband. “Forty seven weeks is a long time. If she stays as good as she is at the minute, we’ll be quite happy with it.”

During this challenging time she has since received various support from Cuan and for this reason, Ray decided this organisation would receive the generous donations.

“I spoke to Maria in Cuan and she was delighted to hear I wanted to do a fundraiser for them. I specified that I wanted it going local rather than the money being sent all around Ireland, I just wanted the local cancer group to benefit from it.”