A BRAVE and charitable Southsider, who is currently
undergoing treatment for leukemia, is taking on a 650-kilometre cycle challenge
this summer to raise funds for a hospice foundation.
Dave Donohoe (47), from Rathgar, who recovered from
testicular cancer after surgery in December 2009, was devastated last year when
doctors at St James’s Hospital told him that he was suffering from leukemia.
Despite the fact that he is still currently undergoing
chemotherapy, David will undertake the cycle from Lyon to Nice in July, which
takes in some of the most daunting climbs from the Tour de France, to raise
money for the Irish Hospice Foundation.
His parents, who passed away in 2005 and 2006, were
cared for at their home in Ballsbridge in their final days by staff from the
hospice.
In 2010 he took part in a charity cycle fundraiser for
the hospice as a show of gratitude for their work and to mark his return to
health.
However, plans to take part in another cycle last July
were cut short when he received the devastating news that he had leukemia.
“Both my parents, who were elderly, died at home with
all their family around them,
? he explained.
“And really, that was down to the
hospice and the palliative care team that administered medicines and looked
after them.
“I thought the work they did was terrific. It is not
until you come across this that you appreciate the great work they do.
“I did a cycle in 2010 and raised money for the
hospice and I was due to do another one for them in July 2011. We were actually
due to leave at the end of that month when I was taken into hospital on July 6.
“I really didn’t think I was going to get cancer
again, so it really floored me,
? he added.
“You could have just pulled a rug
from underneath me.
?
Resilient Dave said that despite the fact he has
suffered from fatigue due to his ongoing chemotherapy treatment, he has decided
to take on another cycle challenge again this year.
“When you come
off the chemotherapy you are very tired. It is not like a sleepy tired, it is
like a battery wearing out and it used to hit me at midday or at lunchtime.
“The medical team at St James’s Hospital were okay
about me taking on the challenge once I was sensible about it. The danger is to
try and do too much. You have to keep within your limits.
“I probably won’t train as much as I did for the
previous ones and I won’t be as fit as I was, so I will probably be in the
slowest group. But I think I will manage it if I do it at my own pace. My
intention is to do it all however long it takes.
?
The first of the hospice foundation’s annual cycles
from Dublin to London will take place from July 7 to 15 and those who want to
take part will have to register before April 27.
The second cycle from Lyon to Nice takes place from
July 22 to 27 and again those who want to take part must register with the
Irish Hospice Foundation for the challenge by April 27.
For more about this year’s cycle challenges for the
hospice or to learn more about the hospice itself, log onto
www.hospice-foundation.ie
Anyone who wants to donate directly to Dave’s
fundraising effort can do so by logging on to
http://www.mycharity.ie/event/david_donohoes_event/