Author Archives: gerryan

  1. Olivia O’Keeffe Trust Fund donation to the Intensive Care Unit

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    Olivia O’Keeffe passed away, aged 33, in December 2021 in the Intensive Care Unit in St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

    Olivia had been a recipient of two liver transplants; the first of which was when she was aged just two years old.

    In an extraordinary act of generosity, Olivia’s family donated €18,000 to support the I.C.U. from the Trust Fund in her name.

    On behalf of our patients, we are humbled and most appreciative of this kindness

    We feel it is appropriate to include here a quote from Olivia’s Mum, Katie, “Organ Transplants would not be possible without  the generosity of the donors & their families, and to them, we are eternally grateful”.

     

  2. 2024 Sligo Warriors Run

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    The 2024 Warriors Run (first held in 1985) was held again in August 2024. Runners from all over Ireland and wider afield, came to Strandhill to follow in the footsteps of the ancient warriors of Queen Maeve, historical Queen of Connaught.

    Since 2013, the Sligo Warriors Run Committee has donated to St. Vincent’s at the request of Denis Foley, whose land is part of the course. This year, Denis again nominated St. Vincent’s Hospital and a most generous donation of €4,000 was received from them, to be used for the Liver Unit here in St. Vincent’s.

    We are most grateful to Denis Foley, the Warriors Run Committee and all involved for their generosity over the years and for again thinking of our patients.

  3. 2024 Women’s Mini Marathon – Thank you to our fundraisers

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    A very sincere thanks to all our supporters who took part in the 2024 Women’s Marathon on Sunday 2nd June 2024, fundraising for various causes here in St. Vincent’s.

    From this year’s event, almost €11,000 has been raised for causes including the Intensive Care Unit, Liver Unit, St Anne’s Cancer Care, Neuro Endocrine Tumour and the Cara Ward in St. Vincent’s Private Hospital.

    Our sincere thanks to all participants and their supporters.

     

  4. Golf Classic in aid of Pancreatic Cancer:

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    Following a highly successful Golf Classic in 2023, which raised €9,500 for Pancreatic Cancer care and transplant in St. Vincent’s, Liam Holland & Ray McElhinney are again organising a fundraising Golf Classic in Blainroe Golf Club on Friday 6th September 2024.

    The feedback from last year’s event was that it was an extraordinarily enjoyable day, as well as being highly successful fundraising for St. Vincent’s.

    All details relating to the event are in the poster below. We are really grateful for this continued support for this vital medical area and wish everybody involved the very best on the day.

     

  5. Chelsea’s 2024 VHI Women’s Mini Marathon fundraising for I.C.U.

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    We have been fortunate to have been supported in the past by Chelsea Noonan-Moriarty from County Meath, raising €2,175 for St. Vincent’s Intensive Care Unit (I.C.U.).

    Once again, Chelsea along with family and friends participated in the 2024 Women’s Mini Marathon. In the process they raised a further €2,740 for the I.C.U. in St. Vincent’s. We are really grateful on behalf of our patients for this wonderful contribution and great effort.

    Pictured below are photos of the group taking part in this year’s Mini Marathon (Chelsea Noonan-Moriarty, Marie Noonan-Moriarty, Alex Noonan-Moriarty, Tomás Moriarty, Judy Moriarty, Jessica Moriarty, Michael Burke, Amber Cooke Allen, Margaret Muldoon, Aoife Muldoon, Bernie Moriarty, Lauren Moriarty)

     

  6. Amy’s 100km in May for the Liver Unit

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    Our thanks to Amy Barry from County Offaly who undertook to do 100km in the month of May and set up an iDonate fundraising page for the Liver Unit here in St. Vincent’s.

    Amy managed to raise the magnificent total of €6,840 for the Liver Unit and called in recently with her dad Chris, to present her proceeds to John Hickey (see photo below).

    On behalf of our patients, our sincere thanks to Amy and all who supported her fundraising initiative for this most important cause.

     

  7. Riverstown GAA – Road to Sam – in memory of Kevin Coleman RIP for Sarcoma Research & Awareness

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    For over 10 years now, Riverstown G.A.A. Club in County Sligo, has held an annual “Riverstown Road to Sam” fundraiser, dedicating time and effort to supporting local causes by raising money through GAA competitions, table quizzes and auctions.

    In 2023 the fundraiser was dedicated to the memory of a local man Kevin Coleman, who sadly, following a courageous battle with Sarcoma, passed away in July 2023.

    Proceeds of €3,350 were recently presented by David McKeon (see photo below) to St. Vincent’s Foundation for Sarcoma Research & Awareness here in St. Vincent’s.

    We are deeply grateful to everybody involved in this wonderful fundraising.

     

     

  8. Bingo Night in Arklow Bay Hotel, 25/11/2023 & St. Stephen’s Day Charity Swim 2023 in Memory of Eamon Burke R.I.P. fundraising for the Liver Unit

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    We have previously highlighted the phenomenal fundraising of Eamon & Mary Burke and their family for the Liver Unit. We also carried a feature on Eamon’s death in April 2023, acknowledging the wonderful friendship he has shown to St. Vincent’s over so many years.

    Continuing the generosity that Eamon & Mary have always demonstrated, the family organised the annual St. Stephen’s Day Swim and in addition held a Bingo Night in November. Through all these efforts they raised €14,100 for St. Vincent’s Liver Unit. This brings to almost €85,000 the cumulative sum contributed to the Unit.

    On a very poignant visit to the hospital Mary and her family were photographed presenting the outcome, which was a record fundraising achievement for them in any one year. Our sincere thanks to the family and to all their supporters.

    Pictured presenting the fundraising proceeds to John Hickey, St. Vincent’s Foundation are from L.to R. Dean Dickenson, Clive Burke, Mary Wood, Mary Burke & David Burke. Also some pictures from the St. Stephen’s Day Swim.

  9. TOM O’KEEFFE ULTRA MARATHON FUNDRAISING FOR I.C.U. & LIVER UNIT

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    Tom O’Keeffe, who lives in Cheshire in England, recently organised an ingenious series of activities to raise funds for The Intensive Care and Liver Units in St. Vincent’s. Tom was doing this in memory of his beloved cousin, Olivia, who died in St. Vincent’s in December 2021. Tom ran an Ultramarathon to coincide with the 2nd anniversary of Olivia’s death. Tom’s ultimate commitment was to run 1 Km for every £100 donated by the anniversary date. Given the phenomenal response of over £9,000 donated by that time, Tom ran 90.3 Km in 12 hours and 10 minutes of “moving time”. This feat of endurance is difficult for most of us to comprehend.

    Tom supplemented this major undertaking by adopting other challenges during the six months of fundraising from July to December. These included swimming 5 marathons in 5 days and completing the “David Goggins 4/4/48 Challenge”(where he ran 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours).

    Subsequent to these super-human endeavours, Tom received further donations, ultimately raising £15,213.66 (€17,380.16). €11,423.11 was donated to I.C.U. and €5,957.05 to the Liver Unit.

    Tom came from England and with some of the O’Keeffe family to presented the final proceeds. We are so grateful for this supreme contribution as well as being in awe of his achievements.

    Pictured presenting the fundraising proceeds to John Hickey, St. Vincent’s Foundation are members of the O’Keeffe family as follows

     

    Gerry, Maria, Jill, Tom, Aidan & David O’Keeffe

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Maria, Jill, Gerry, Tom, Aidan & David O’Keeffe

  10. Support for Enda McDermott Simulation Laboratory (SIM Lab)

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    We are once again indebted to St. Michael’s College for their support, which has been so generous for so many causes in St. Vincent’s over many years.

    Through the huge relationship that Annette McDermott has had with St. Michael’s, the college made a donation of €1,000 to help with this existing project named in memory of Annette’s beloved husband Enda R.I.P.

    Enda was a highly respected consultant in St. Vincent’s for many years, until his sudden death in 2021.

    Pictured at the presentation of the cheque to John Hickey, St. Vincent’s Foundation are L. to R. his son-in-law Declan, his daughters Emma & Aisling and Enda’s wife Annette