A LOCAL man went without food last week to raise funds for the Samaritans.
Liam Frayne, a native of Kilkenny who has been living in Santry for over five years, took on the challenge after being given the green light from his GP.
From March 9-16, the DCU student survived on just water, tea and coffee – and a bit of chewing gum!
Liam, who loves Indian food in particular, said the hunger pangs didn’t really hit him until around 6pm on Day 1, six hours into the fast.
“Day 2 was very tough though,
? he conceded. I went to see a band,
‘The Darkness’, play in DCU and beforehand I met with friends to play pool.
“The smell of food was very difficult to deal with, resulting in I’d say four or five pints of water being drunk in two hours, along with chewing quite a bit of gum.
“What I really missed the most were chicken goujons and chips from the bar on campus (at DCU).
“It has become almost a tradition for my friends and I to go to the bar in the evening for food to break up the working day.
?
Liam said that in the run up to the fast, he found himself eating a lot of Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup ice cream.
“I had a fresh tub of it waiting for the day the fast ended,
? he said.
Liam chose to take on the challenge for the Samaritans because of the great work it does in the area of suicide prevention.
“I have witnessed too many cases of people feeling like they had no place to turn to,
? he stated.
“The Samaritans provides a freephone number (116 123) which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to anyone who may be in bother. It is a non-judgmental and confidential service.
“Regardless of how much it’s talked about as a whole, there is still a stigma regarding someone admitting they are depressed.
?
Even though the fast has now ended, donations can still be made to Liam’s MyCharity page until April 9.
At the beginning of the challenge, his target was to raise
?¬1,000, and at the time of going to press, the figure stood at a very healthy
?¬800.
“I didn’t know what a reasonable target was before undertaking it (challenge) and hoped that the more punishing idea of a seven-day fast would interest people that don’t know me personally,
? said Liam.
“The donors have been brilliant so far. There have been over 40 of them and quite a few that I don’t know.
“I have also had great support from close friends. A group of people that I’d love to mention particularly, is the Chemistry Lab Techs in DCU for their help.
“I realise that it’s a tough time to be asking for money, which makes it all the more uplifting and motivating to see the donations coming in.
?
Liam is currently undertaking a PhD in Chemistry at DCU.
“If what is raised from this fast saves even one life, then I think that it has been a massive success,
? he added.
If you would like to donate to Liam’s challenge, visit www.mycharity.ie/event/liams_7_day_fast
Also, for further details on Liam Frayne’s food-free week, you can check out his Facebook page.