Three artworks celebrating our equestrian heritage will be raffled next week at a fundraising event for a young Galway woman currently undergoing medical treatment in the UK.
The raffle is part of an ongoing fundraising drive towards the medical costs of Danielle Burke, from Rockbarton Park, Salthill, who is receiving treatment at a UK facility for borderline personality disorder, a serious mental illness which has seen her spend much of the past four years in hospital.
The severity of Danielle's illness prevented her from engaging with the available treatments in Ireland, leading her parents to seek intensive therapy options overseas. She is currently undergoing a year-long programme of intensive dialectical behavioural therapy at a facility in York, which combines standard cognitive behavioural techniques with additional coping strategies such as distress tolerance, acceptance, and mindfulness awareness. The programme offers excellent outcomes for women with complex psychological disorders.
Next week's event, called A Raffle For Danielle, will see an array of great prizes on offer, including a first prize of an original oil painting by Anne Farrall Doyle valued at some €2,000, along with two tickets to the Wednesday race meeting in Galway and a day at the races courtesy of the Galway members of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland.
Second prize is a signed limited edition print by Susan Webb, and third prize is a framed and signed limited edition print by Una Heaton. All the artworks, which depict racing scenes, have been donated by Geraldine and Conor Kenny of Kenny's Gallery.
There will be a range of other great raffle and spot prizes on the night, including two introductory flight lessons at Galway Airport, courtesy of Inez and Gerry Riordan.
Raffle tickets, in the form of envelopes in which entrants are asked to place €10, are available from most bars and hotels in the city.
The raffle will be held in the Rockbarton Park Hotel, Salthill, on Tuesday as part of a gala night commencing at 8pm, sponsored by Terry and Patsy Tyson in conjunction with Galway City Vintners Association. Raffle envelopes will also be available on the night.
Donations can also be made to Bank Of Ireland, Eyre Square, Galway, sort code 90-38-16, account number 96592265. Any funds raise above what is required to fund Danielle's treatment will be shared among Pieta House, Aware, and SOSAD Ireland, three charities which work to help people with depression and other mental illnesses.
The organisers and Danielle's family have extended their sincere thanks to everyone who has donated to the fundraising campaign so far.
