Charity campaigner Liam Mulcahy with his daughter Sophie who has today tragically passed away aged just 8-years-0ld.
By Brian Canty
The Irish cycling community has been plunged into sadness today following the news that Sophie Mulcahy, the daughter of the Cycle4Sick Children's charity founder Liam Mulcahy has died aged 8 years after a brave and life-long battle with serious illness.
The sad news of Sophie’s passing broke on social media this morning when a message on Sophie's Facebook page Sophie's Journey read:
“It's with incredible sadness our brave little superhero has left for heaven. Our hearts are breaking and words don't come to mind. Rest well my sweet angel.”
Sophie's story captured the imagination of many and her fight for survival has been a constant battle - yet inspiring against-the-odds story. But today, she has lost that battle.
Advertisement
Sophie was born in 1996 with a hypo-plastic heart condition and was given just days to live.
Sophie was dealt an impossible hand in life, but she was much loved and her story inspired thousands of people into action on their bikes and in fundraising, seen here with Irish professional rider Sam Bennett.
She underwent six heart operations for corrective surgery and spent the first six months of her life on a ventilator in intensive care.
From there her battle intensified when she suffered lung and kidney failure two months later and was subsequently diagnosed with a rare condition called 1q43, a genetic disorder.
Related News
Little is known about the condition, other than it being extremely hard to treat. There are only 40 known cases around the world.
Despite the odds against them Sophie and her family – from Rhebogue, Co Limerick – and a legion of followers went about seeking the best possible care they could in a bid to improve Sophie’s chances of having some quality of life.
For her short time on this earth, Sophie could not walk or talk, she was fed through a tube and took endless amounts of medication to alleviate her suffering.
Sophie inspired the Cycle4SickChildren charity movement, a legacy that will live on for many years to come.
Throughout her life she suffered many setbacks, such as renal failure brought about by previous heart surgeries. She could not undergo a kidney transplant for fear she would not survive the surgery.
Her parents Liam and Stacey and siblings Dion and Kayla stuck together, attacking life with Sophie and somehow finding the energy and the spirit to set up the well-known charity 'Cycle 4 Sick Children'.
The charity was not a crusade just for their own daughter; it was used to encourage people to take up cycling and create awareness for children’s disability and serious illness in Ireland.
It was little surprise to see they were voted 'club of the year' in 2011 and since then they have gone from strength to strength; raising money to cover the extensive costs of Sophie's care and the medical bills of many other seriously ill children.
From all at stickybottle, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the Mulcahy family on what is a black day for them as they are forced to say goodbye to their baby Sophie, who brought light into the lives of so many others.
Funeral arrangements: Reposing at home in Drominbeg on Friday Oct. 24th from 4pm to 7pm. Removal will arrive at St.John’s Cathedral on Saturday Oct 25th for Mass of the Angels at 11am. Cremation afterwards in Mount Jerome Crematorium at 2.30pm.
Topics
