Longford family hand over cheque to Tullamore Hospital charity

THE coffers of the Friends of the Hospital Tullamore have been boosted by a donation from a Longford woman who climbed Ireland's hightest mountain.

Gillian Martin presented a cheque for €7,100 on behalf of herself, her father Patrick, her sisters Melissa and Carol, and her aunt Helen.

Gillian's mother Helen (66) passed away in an end of life suite at the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore in July this year, having been diagnosed with cancer in February 2022.

Helen Martin, formerly a librarian in Granard, Co Longford, 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.

A native of Co Leitrim, she suffered from a rare aggressive form of ovarian cancer and the Martin family were very impressed with the care she received at the end of life suites at Tullamore Hospital, which were built with the help of the charity, Friends of the Hospital Tullamore.

Gillian Martin (36), a keen climber and hiker, decided to raise money for the Friends and scaled Carrauntoohil (pictured below) on October 25.

Donations were made to an idonate account and added to money which had been requested in lieu of funeral flowers.

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

She described the end of life suites at Tullamore as an “absolute godsend”.

Each of the four suites are fitted with a kitchenette/sitting room furnished with a couch and armchair, plus a bathroom, all of which are interconnected.

Family members can stay overnight with their loved one and volunteers help run the support service.