Charity cycle to raise funds for Mid-West Cancer Centre

HAVING been treated for a cancerous tumour at the Mid-West Cancer Centre in Dooradoyle four years ago, Kevin Shalloo is aiming to raise funds for the centre on Saturday, April 9, with a cycle from Limerick to Kilkee. A regular triathlon and dualathlon participant, Kevin is also actively involved in GAA and has played senior football for Kilkee and O’Curry’s. He is currently part of the Coolmeen junior football team management.
“We’re hoping to have it on April 9. The idea is to get 100 bikes to do 100 kilometres. Although it’s going to be a little bit more than 100km because we’re going to come the back way and stay off the motorway,” Kevin explained.
While anybody who can cycle will be able to take part, Kevin is hopeful that members of Limerick Triathlon Club, Ennis Triathlon Club, West Clare Cycling Club and Dolmen Cycling Club in Ennis will register.
“We’re looking for anyone who is interested in taking part or who is interested in helping out with cancer care. We’re not looking for professional cyclists, just anyone who can keep their legs going for that long,” he laughed.
Kevin’s reasons for organising the cycle are personal.
“I was diagnosed with a tumour in 2007. It meant having 30 radiotherapy sessions and three sessions of chemotherapy. I was in and out of there for the guts of two and a half months. It was successful, touch wood. I’m fine today anyway, although I go back every six months for follow-up appointments,” he said.
“I always wanted to do something for them. The West Clare Mini Marathon were very good to me and I’m involved with them and doing what I can do but the last day I was down in Limerick, some of the staff were having a bed push. There were three or four of the nurses on the bed and there were a few more lads pushing it. I was talking to one of the girls and she said they’d raise maybe €1,200 or €1,300.
“It’s miserable enough really, having the staff to push the bed. I thought that given I’m doing triathlons for the last few years, I’d be in a position to do something. I’d say there aren’t too many doing anything given the way things are,” Kevin added.
The cycle route will start at the cancer centre in Dooradoyle.
“We’ll leave from there, go out the dualcarriageway and probably come out the old road by Newmarket. We can’t go on the motorway with the bikes. We’re debating whether we’ll go west out by The Hand and come down by Spanish Point or whether we’ll come in by Kilmaley-Cree and over to Kilkee that way,” he said.
The route will be peppered with drink and food stops, while puncture repair, recovery vehicles and mechanics will also be on hand during the cycle.
A ‘my charity’ site is to be established in the coming weeks but in the meantime, anybody wishing to register can contact Kevin on 086 3039783.