By Brian Canty
It’s a well-worn path from Croke Park to Ventry, but next weekend it will be cyclists - not footballers - making the journey. They’ll be on a three-day charity event organised by Fundúireacht Páidí Ó Sé which traces the familiar journey from the great citadel of Gaelic Games to the home of the late, great Kerry footballer.
The family of the late Páidí Ó Sé wish to leave a fitting and lasting legacy after his death in December 2012, and have created a foundation dedicated to providing cardiac services in Kerry and, in the future, throughout the country.
One of the first aims of the foundations is to purchase a CT scanner for Kerry General Hospital with the funds generated by the charity cycle, which takes place from October 10th-12th.
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The scanner provides a non-invasive procedure for patients who have symptoms of heart disease.
Páidí’s daughter, Neasa Ní Sé, has been a driving force behind the establishment of the foundation and the organisation of the charity cycle ‘From Croke Park to Ceann Trá’.
She said the untimely passing of her father had left everyone in shock, but she’s eager to use his profile to raise awareness of heart disease.
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“Dad was still fit and especially in the weeks before he died he was in great form physically, so it came as a tremendous shock to us. It was so sudden. He had no previous signs of heart disease.”
“He received no warning at all. He wasn’t on any medication for his heart or anything like that.”
With no warning signs, Páidi went to lie down after complaining of indigestion, but when his wife Marie went to call him she found him dead. He was aged just 57 and it emerged the cause of death was cardiovascular disease. Now family and friends have created a charitable foundation, Fundúireacht, in his memory.
And Neasa explains how they want to purchase a Cardiac CT which facilitates a painless way to take pictures of the heart to help fight this disease.
Fundraising has begun with The ‘Paidi O Se Sportive’ cycle from Croke Park to Ventry being one of the highlights. Full details and registration are available at www.paidiose.com and those interested can ride all three days – Friday, Saturday and Sunday – or can join the event for just one day.
“My dad died of a heart attack and heart disease is so common in Ireland especially among men in their 50s and 60s. There are people dying every week of heart disease and, of course, it is not that easily detectable and people, especially men, are very slow to get tested. You have to go through the angiogram which is not that pleasant,” said Neasa.
“But a Cardiac CT scanner costs roughly about €400,000. The idea is to spot any problems before it is too late. It is like an X-ray and you are in and out in five minutes. It would be nice to have a legacy for dad and something which will help people like my father and be easily accessible.”
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