Local girl raises €5k for child hospice

A Templeport woman has completed the Ray D’Arcy Marathon Challenge 2021, raising more than €5,000 for the LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

Laura Kellegher (26) took on this challenge in 2021 with the initial aim of raising just €500 and completing the 52 marathons over 12 months - a distance of 26.2 miles per week.

On December 31 last, Laura completed her 76th marathon, in excess of 2,000 miles (3357.18km) in total.

Her achievement is all the more remarkable given Laura’s own minor physical disability, hemi-plegia, a birth condition that has weakened the right-hand side of her body.

Laura’s total raised currently sits at €5,155, and the iDonate page set up remains open to donations until the end of March.

After completing the challenge, Laura acknowledged and thanked all the people who have been so supportive of her during the year and the many donations she received.

She adds that there were also “numerous good luck messages” for her in advance of the final walk on December 31, where friends and extended family took the time to walk with her to complete the “epic journey”.

In total approximately 2,000 people signed up for the challenge and together they have raised over €800,000 for LauraLynn, which provides hospice and palliative care to children with life-limiting conditions and to their families.

In 2020, 374 children and families from every corner of Ireland availed of LauraLynn care, supports and activities, and all funds raised from the Ray’s Marathon Challenge go to the hospice to help them continue providing support and services to sick children and their families.

If anyone would still like to make a donation, you can do so via Laura’s iDonate Page.