Two Irish men are set to cycle across 28 countries to raise vital funds for two charities that care for sick children.
Paddy Flynn from Waterford and Daithí Harrison from Tipperary will cycle from Sydney to Dublin in 12 months and run an ultra-marathon in each of the 28 countries to raise vital funds for MRF Crumlin and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.
Daithí said: “One of the reasons we decided to take on the challenge was to raise vital money for two amazing charities – CMRF Crumlin and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.
“We are really looking forward to learning about the cultures and histories of all the countries we’re visiting. It’ll be an exploration of the mind and a journey of the soul. We both believe that it’s our duty to be of service to the generation that follow us, especially to those who need it most.”
Paddy Flynn from Waterford along with his pal Daithi will start their journey on August 4 across the world.
He said: “It’s really cool to think that we could be making a difference not only to the children in Australia and Ireland, but also to our local towns, and our local counties, Tipperary and Waterford, bringing excitement and inspiring people from all walks of life. The two men said that they’re excited for the one-in-a-lifetime opportunity and really want to make the most of it.
“We decided to raise money for CMRF and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation because they do wonderful work for sick children in Ireland and Australia; and making the journey from Sydney to Crumlin will be a way of not only helping both charities but also marking a link between the two.
Over 150,000 children walk through the doors of Crumlin hospital every year. One in 100 children in Ireland are born with a structural heart defect.
Around 211 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in Ireland. All of them are treated at Crumlin Hospital. The NCRC is funding 43 research grants into paediatric conditions and illnesses including cardiology, immunology, infection, cancer and neonatology.
