Longford woman climbs Carrauntoohil and raises €6,000 for charity in memory of late mother

Wet weather last month did not prevent a Longford woman from climbing Ireland's tallest mountain and raising much needed funds for the Friends of the Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore.

Netherlands-based teacher Gillian Martin scaled the 3,414-foot Carrauntoohil in Co Kerry on the scheduled day, October 25 last, after flying home during her school holidays.

“It was fairly wet and wild alright, but I did it in just over six hours, so it wasn’t too bad!” a delighted Gillian said afterwards.

“Mother Nature provided an added challenge with wet and windy weather, but sure isn’t that Irish weather for ya?!”

Gillian decided to raise money for the Friends of the Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore charity because of the great care her late mother Helen had received in the end of life suites.

The online fundraiser run before the climb brought in a total of €6,210. That money was augmented by donations in lieu of flowers at her mother's funeral, which meant the total being given to the Friends of the Hospital is €7,060.

“We are so blown away by people’s generosity and kindness,” said Gillian.

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Helen Martin, Granard, Co Longford, was only 66 when she passed away in July, having been diagnosed with cancer in February 2022.

Helen had been a patient at St James's Hospital in Dublin but was then treated in Tullamore because it was more convenient for her family.

Tragically, Co Leitrim native Helen had only retired from her job as a librarian in Granard the October before her diagnosis with stage four of a rare aggressive form of ovarian cancer.

Gillian, a primary teacher at an international school in the Netherlands, said herself, her father Patrick and her sisters Melissa and Carol were very impressed with the end of life suites, which were built with help from the Friends of the Hospital.

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The family were able to stay in a suite until Helen passed away. “So my dad, my two sisters, and myself were there literally day and night. We didn't go home.”

There are four end of life suites at the hospital and the Martin family were in one on the ground floor which had a view of a courtyard and garden, facilities which were also provided with the help of the Friends of the Hospital.

“My mam loved gardening, she loved flowers, so she could see right out to the courtyard where there were flowers. It was really nice.”

She said the suites give families the privacy and space they need to spend those last moments with their loved one.

“I never knew about this suites prior to needing them and we will be eternally grateful to these volunteers for what they are doing with the charity.”

Prior to her mother being treated in Tullamore, Gillian did not even know such as thing as an end of life suite existed.

“It was an absolute godsend, between the staff, the nurses, everything. Unbelievable.”

Along with the room for the patient, each suite has a kitchenette/sitting room furnished with a couch and armchair, plus a bathroom, all interconnected.

“It's run by volunteers so I wanted to help and raise as much as possible for it and for the people who need it.”

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Gillian, 36, is an experienced hiker and climber. She previously climbed four Irish mountains in four days for a different charity.

In a statement on the idonate web page where donations were made, Friends of the Hospital Tullamore say fundraising is a continuous process.

“The need for funds has never been more acute than it is today. Vital equipment used in day to day patient care needs to be replaced to maintain and improve treatment where possible.

“When new technologies become available that can improve a patient's experience and life, the Friends, along with the Hospital Management team, want the people who need it most to benefit from any new equipment that will speed up diagnosis, improve treatment or enhance the experience of the patient.”

The Martin family plan to meet the charity this weekend to formally hand over a cheque.

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