The fundraising drive to assist cyclist Tomás Mulqueen has passed its initial goal of €50,000, with many members of the cycling community stepping up to contribute to the fund.
Mulqueen is a well-known and popular figure on the road racing and cyclocross scenes in Ireland, riding in the colours of De Ronde Van Cork.
Not content with competing himself, Mulqueen is also a
coach and bike mechanic. And now the relationships he has built through
cycling, and in rowing, down the years have come to his aid as he faces a
cancer diagnosis.
As the treatment ahead will be long, and will require a
prolonged stay in Dublin living with a carer, it will involve significant
expenses.
A GoFundMe page was established for him and now that has exceeded the target of €50,000, having passed €60,000 in recent days.
Advertisement
It means as Tomás and wife Linda and their children Emer (12), Darragh (6) and Caoimhe (20) face the next phase they have financial certainty around the costs of the treatment.
And last Saturday when Diarmuid Kavanagh broke the Irish Everesting record, he did it to raise funds for Tomás, adding over €2,000 to the fund and counting.
Related News
If you'd like to donate to Tomás' healthcare fund via Kavanagh's Everesting ride, you can do so by following this link.
Tomás’ sister Sheila Mulqueen Gallagher said while a suitable bone marrow donor had not yet been found, the family was delighted and heartened by the response to the fundraising, with over 1,100 people donating so far.
“We can’t get over it, we are just flummoxed,” she said. “Tomás
is absolutely astounded with the response, as are we.
“Tomás has gained such strength from all of the messages
he has received and he is humbled."
Tomás had cancer 20 years ago but beat it. However, earlier this year he was diagnosed with was K Cell Lymphoma in the oesophagus and his bone marrow.
For over two months now he has been in hospital in Cork undergoing chemotherapy and has been home to see his children for just four days.
He must now have a bone marrow transplant in St James
Hospital, Dublin, once it is confirmed that he is in remission.
Once a donor is found Tomás must then commit to the
lengthy period in Dublin as his treatment and recovery progresses and it is
during that period that significant expenses will arise.
Topics
