Kingscourt man set to make history at NYC Marathon

Patrick Reilly

 

A Kingscourt man, who received a double lung transplant will this weekend undertake the grueling New York Marathon for a cystic fibrosis charity.

David Crosby and a team of fellow runners and supporters from his hometown of Kingscourt and surrounds flew from Dublin to the States this morning, in order to take part in Sunday's marathon in the Big Apple. Once completed it will make him the first Irish person with a lung transplant to run in the New York Marathon.

It would be a remarkable feat given that in August 2015 David was given just two years to live. He had been diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive non-curable disease which involves the hardening and scarring of the lungs.

In Christmas 2015 David went into the Mater Hospital for medical tests and was told to lose two and a half stone, in order to be eligible for the list for a double lung transplant. David managed to shed the weight in half the targetted time by following a simple diet and undertaking regular exercise.

It's this drive and determination that has inspired David and friends to take on the marathon challenge.

David started his running regime with 5k and 10k runs, and has progressed to the stage where he is now aiming to be amongst the 50,000 people who will complete this weekend's New York Marathon.

David's cousin has a bar on Wall Street and has offered 20% of the takings on the day of the marathon to David's worthy cause. The Kingscourt man is going to run the 26 miles in aid of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland and the Mater Hospital.