Sunday, April 24, marks the start of the ‘London 2 Mayo’ Vintage Tractor Run fundraiser in aid of Crumlin Children’s Hospital and for Cancer Fund for Children's (CFFC ) plans for a new therapeutic short break centre, Daisy Lodge, in Cong, County Mayo.
Kicking off in London, the participants and their tractors will make a seven-day journey to the proposed site of the new Daisy Lodge, Mayo. Daisy Lodge, Mayo, is a much-needed therapeutic short breaks facility which will provide respite for children with a cancer diagnosis and their families and it is due to be built on the shores of Lough Corrib near the village of Cong.
‘London 2 Mayo’ will see partakers and their tractors clock up approximately 833km on the week-long journey. Travelling from The Claddagh Ring Irish Bar, London, to Birkenhead and across the sea to Belfast, will take three days to complete; while the remaining four days will be spent on the route marked from Belfast to Castleblaney, Castleblaney to Longford, Longford to Kilkelly and lastly, Kilkelly to Cong in Mayo, specifically, the prospective location of the new Daisy Lodge.
Extreme Tractor Runs are the organisation that run this activity annually and this year their chosen charity is Crumlin Children’s Hospital and CFFC. The participants aim to raise €100,000 towards these two very worthwhile causes.
"As a proud Mayo man I will be very proud to welcome Daisy Lodge to County Mayo and will do everything I can to make it happen. The therapeutic centre will help children and their families who are affected by cancer and require much-needed respite”, said John Corley, lead driver.
"There are 22 drivers taking part in ‘London 2 Mayo’ and every single one of us has been affected to some degree by cancer. There’s nothing more distressing than to witness a child having to deal with a cancer diagnosis and see how it affects the entire family. The work that CFFC do to support these children and their families is like a breath of fresh air and allows families to regroup and find some normality in a dark place."
The planned centre in Mayo is inspired by a similar centre in County Down which currently supports 450 families a year, some of whom are referred for therapeutic short breaks through Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.
"We have a great working relationship with the team at Crumlin Children’s Hospital, but the capacity in Newcastle is not sufficient to meet the all Ireland demand and that’s why we desperately need this second centre," said CFFC CEO Phil Alexander. "We are so grateful to Extreme Tractor Run for helping to raise funds to help us build a life-changing facility for children and their families. At CFFC we understand that behind every childhood cancer diagnosis there is a whole family affected, and beyond the essential medical care there is a family life that needs to be rebuilt. A new Daisy Lodge in Mayo would mean so much to these families."
Daisy Lodge4Mayo will be the first exclusive space for children diagnosed with cancer and their families in Ireland and will increase the number of families supported to 1,000 per year. This new project will effectively ensure that no child in Ireland will face cancer alone.
Should you wish to know more about the Appeal and new build please contact [email protected]. Donate directly here : https://www.gofundme.com/f/lonon2mayo-tractorrun-for-cancerfund-for-children?qid=4e73c6da66a01c23b50f193a1c19302d.
