A team of doctors and specialists from Dublin hospitals are walking the Wicklow Way this weekend to raise money for the Children’s Health Foundation Crumlin.
They will be traversing 135km over the course of 24 hours today and tomorrow, with each 1km of the distance representing a sudden cardiac death of a young person in Ireland.
135 young people in Ireland die from sudden cardiac deaths via inherited heart conditions every year.
The group of frontline workers and researchers are aiming to raise €30,000, as the funding for research will run out by September.
With close to €28,000 raised to date through the fundraising page, the amazing intitiative is close to reaching the target.
One of the common causes of sudden cardiac death in young people is Long QT syndrome, which ongoing research is attempting to identify what medicines might be the safest for those who have Long QT Syndrome.
The research is also working on developing a cure for Long QT syndrome by correcting the spelling mistake in DNA that causes the disease.
This form of ‘gene editing’ is cutting edge medical therapy which potentially offers a chance of cure to a severely affected young person by re-writing their genetic code.
Dr. Terence Prendiville, a Paediatric Consultant at CHI Crumlin, has said that all support people can give is greatly appreciated.
Dr. Terence Prendiville out training for the challenge. Photo: Wicklow Way in 24 hours Campaign.
The frontline team who are taking part in this walk are:
- Dr. Terence Prendiville, Paediatric Consultant at CHI Crumlin.
- Dr. Joe Galvin, Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Catherine McGorrian, Consultant Cardiologist and Clinical Nurse Specialist Mags Gallagher who run the ICC screening service at Heart House, Family Heart Screening Clinic, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital.
- Dr. Deirdre Ward, Consultant Cardiologist and Dr. Derek Crinion, who run the ICC screening service at CRY, Tallaght University Hospital.
- Dr. Brian Blake, a GP who cares for families who have suffered a SADS death.
- Dr. Mark Walsh, consultant cardiologist in CHI Crumlin
- Dr. Aedin Ryan, consultant paediatrician in NUIG, Galway.
- Dr. Alessandra Oggianu and Dr. Dawn Deacy, paediatric cardiothoracic surgery doctors at CHI Crumlin.
- Dr John Keaney, consultant cardiologist at Mater Hospital.
- Dr. Sophie Duignan, paediatric cardiology doctor at CHI Crumlin.
- Paediatric cardiac physiologists at CHI Crumlin Aoife Deery, Daryl McDonald & Aoife McCaffrey.
- Cardiac advanced nurse practitioner at CHI Crumlin, Fionnuala Gardiner.
- Prof. Sanbing Shen and Dr. Stephen O’Brien.
Visit the Justgiving page if you would like to send your support.
