As most Gaelic footballers hang up their boots and take a well-earned rest for the winter, three Tyrone footballers are throwing themselves at a whole new challenge and all for a very worthy cause. Stephen O’Neill, Enda McGinley and John Devine are swapping their boots for their bikes and running shoes as they take on the Westport Sea2Summit Adventure Race on Saturday 12th November to raise moneyfor the Marie Curie Cancer Care Nursing Appeal.

The Westport Sea2Summit Race is a grueling test for even the most hardened multi-event competitors with last years inaugural event being viewed as the toughest such race in Ireland. The race itself involves a 4.5km run, 8km cycle, Climb of Croagh Patrick, a 35km cycle, including the notorious Maum Hill and a 4.5km run at the end which, just for good measure, includes an obstacle course! A daunting task, especially for boys more used to the confined, flat spaces of a football pitch, but the boys hope that their efforts will encourage people to dig deep and support their efforts to raise money for the Marie Curie Nursing Appeal.

Marie Curie have 200 Marie Curie Nurses in Northern Ireland who provide a free nursing service for terminally ill people who want to be cared for at home.

Last year, these Nurses provided more than 7341 hours of care to people with cancer and other terminal illnesses. Marie Curie Cancer Care needs to raise £217,000 to fund the local Nursing Service this year.

Sheena Havlin Fundraising Manager for Marie Curie said “Everyone should have access to high quality end of life care when they need it, and in their place of choice.
For most people this means at home. Marie Curie Nurses want to help more people who live locally but we can only do it with your support. Every single donation to the appeal, big or small, will help nurses for more people locally”.

The boys themselves said “our, like almost all other families, have been touched by cancer and we are only too aware of the priceless nature of Marie Curies work to families especially in difficult circumstances. Marie Curie Nurses help bring comfort and dignity to the most challenging and emotional times for patients and their loved ones. Hopefully our efforts in preparing and (hopefully) completing the Westport challenge will help the appeal towards reaching its target and allow Marie Curie to continue its great work.

The boys are accepting donations personally or alternatively you can donate via:

•

Online http://www.justgiving.com/red-hand-racers

Text the following code stos63 followed by the amount you wish to donate and send it to 70070
For more information on the Westport Sea 2 Summit event you can log onto the website http://www.westportsea2summit.ie/

We’d also like to thank O’Neills Sportswear for their kind help in providing us with cycling jerseys.