Jane Boyd and her son Isaac who will swim a mile this week as they attempt to raise funds for the oncology unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, where Jane’s sister Eimear passed away recently. They are pictured with Terry McCauley, duty manager at the Aura Leisure Centre, Letterkenny where they trained for the swim.
Raphoe woman Jane Boyd and her son Isaac will take to the water to swim a mile this week as they attempt to raise funds for the oncology unit at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, where Jane’s sister Eimear passed away recently.
“Eimear passed away at our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda on 10th February at the end of long and brave battle fought with ovarian cancer.
Since 2006 Eimear had attended the oncology unit at the hospital. She received wonderful care from the team there and, as she always did everywhere she went, also made many great friends in the unit,” Jane said this week.
Jane explained that Eimear’s husband and some of her brothers and sisters, as well’s as Jane’s son Isaac had signed up for the Swim a Mile challenge in her honour and to help raise some money for the cancer unit.
“Eimear had taken part in this challenge in the past and she made made sure we’d signed up for it again even though she knew she wouldn’t be well enough to take part in it herself. I think it is really fitting then that this year we meet the challenge Eimear has set for us and do so for the oncology unit and in Eimear’s memory.”
Funds raised are to be provided to the North East Oncology and Haematology Unit in Drogheda for the purchase of a Gene Sequencing Machine that will enable the unit to better individualise and speed up a patient’s treatment plan.
Jane, who has been living with her family in Raphoe for many years now, is well known in the local community as a willing volunteer helping out many groups and events and she has brought great energy and fun to many events across Donegal.
She and Isaac have been training for the swim at the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny over the past number of weeks.
“I am actually hoping now to swim two miles, one for the challenge and another in Eimear’s memory,” said Jane.
And she added: “All donations are greatly welcomed and myself and Isaac would really appreciate the support. Anyone who wishes to make a donation can log on to the My Charity web page – http://www.mycharity.ie/event/swim_for_eimear/ where they can sponsor us
“Alternatively anyone who wants to can also drop into the Aura Centre on April 8th in Letterkenny or Centra in Raphoe where I have a sponsor card available.”
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