The Irish Steam Preservation Society recently presented a cheque of €5,000 to a children’s cancer charity.
The Stradbally based group made the donation to Aoibheann’s Pink Tie following a successful fundraiser.
The charity, which receives no government funding, was set up in 2010 by Mick Rochford and Jimmy Norman after the tragic loss of Jimmy’s daughter Aoibheann to cancer aged just 8 years.
During Aoibheann’s year long battle with this dreadful disease, the family found little or no financial or practical support for children and their families.
Jimmy and his family had a large support network of friends and family but found that many on the ward had virtually no support at all.
When Aoibheann passed away the men wore pink ties at the funeral which was Aoibheann’s favourite colour.
The charity was formed in her memory to remedy the lack of support for other children and their families going through treatment.
Families of children diagnosed with cancer are completely and utterly focused on their sick child.
The regular travel to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital from all over Ireland, the extended overnight stays consume all waking moments during this battle and the day to day necessities of life fall by the wayside or become impossible to manage.
Medical cards are incredibly difficult to get if either spouse is in employment, mortgages, utility bills, motoring costs and general household bills become lost in the mire of the battle as they struggle with one of life’s worst nightmares.
Phone bills, accommodation costs and medical bills become a huge burden for the parents who have to endure the nightmare of watching their child battle cancer.
Aoibheann’s Pink Tie will help and offer practical support to the families of children diagnosed with cancer and who are attending St John’s Oncology Ward in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital.
Focused on children attending the only treatment center for childhood cancer in Ireland, they will support the complete family unit, of parents and siblings, who may not understand what is happening to their Brother or Sister.
A spokesperson for the Irish Steam Preservation Society also explained their future plans for the remainder of the year.
They said: “We were delighted to present the wonderful Aoibheann’s Pink Tie charity with a cheque for €5000, form the Irish Steam Preservation Society, Saturday evening in Stradbally.
“The keys were also handed over of one Massey Ferguson tractor, to the lucky winner of our Mad for Massey raffle, which was won by Michael Gallagher from Falcarragh, Co. Donegal.
“To top off a busy evening we also launched our Santa Train Experience, which will see Santa visit Stradbally Woodland Railway in November and December of this year.”
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