Raising the dough for donors

A younger baker in Skerries took on a gruelling 48-hour operating problem lately, elevating very important dough for organ donor consciousness and the Irish Kidney Affiliation.

On Sunday, August 30, 24-year-old Cian Carty Heffernan, who lately opened a bakery enterprise in Skerries with older brother Pearce, began his ‘four x four x 48 Problem’, which concerned operating 4 miles each 4 hours inside 48 hours, a complete of 48 miles.

Cian’s inspiration to finish the problem and lift organ donor consciousness got here from first-hand expertise, seeing his father Peter Heffernan endure kidney failure in addition to his old skool and college pal Jack Bentley (now age 25) wrestle with Cystic Fibrosis.

Cian remembers: ‘I used to be solely ten or eleven years outdated when my father began to change into unwell however one of many methods my brother and myself felt we may assist him and assist my mom Patricia was by establishing his residence dialysis machine and making certain that the whole lot was secure and sterile for his each day remedy.

‘This routine continued into my mid-teens till he lastly obtained referred to as for a kidney transplant 9 years in the past.

‘Our household is massively grateful to the donor household for this life-giving reward. My consciousness of the plight of individuals like my father who additionally had different forms of organ failure was heightened after I commenced secondary faculty at Skerries Neighborhood Faculty and have become associates with my classmate Jack Bentley who skilled common bouts of illness and was usually absent as a result of his cystic fibrosis.

‘I’ve remained associates with Jack since each of us went on to 3rd degree at DCU. Jack’s life has been reworked since his double lung transplant final yr and it is great that he has now joined the lately established transplant soccer crew as a part of Transplant Group Eire which I’m proud to say my father has been an athlete on since 2013.

‘My father has represented Eire in swimming occasions the place he has efficiently medalled at every World and European Transplant sports activities occasion he has taken half in since then.

‘Through the years I’ve seen my father benefit from the camaraderie and assist of members of the transplant crew who’ve all confronted their very own organ failure battles and are actually having fun with their presents of life.’

Cian’s ‘4x4x48 Problem’ commenced from The Sq. in Skerries on Sunday night, August 30 at 8pm. His twelve four-mile runs went by and across the lovely Skerries seaside village with some taking within the park at Ardgillan Fort.

On Tuesday night, September 1 at round 8.30pm, drained from his 48 hour Problem, Cian reached his ultimate vacation spot, Bob’s On line casino on Skerries South, the place he was greeted by his mom Patricia, Peter and Jack, some refreshments and a basket of pastries and bitter dough freshly baked by Pearce.

Talking after the problem, Cian stated: ‘I at all times preferred difficult myself to new feats. I wished to run 1000km this yr and I’ve over 800km lined to this point. So I wished to push myself a bit extra by doing this Problem for the Irish Kidney Affiliation and organ donor consciousness.

‘The Irish Kidney Affiliation has supported our household and due to this fact I wish to play my half in by serving to increase very important funds by my Problem in order that it may possibly proceed supporting sufferers and households with kidney illness whereas additionally selling organ donation in addition to operating the profitable transplant sports activities programme.

‘I discover that preserving myself wholesome and match is nice in each means, bodily and mentally. From being a child when my dad was on dialysis and he didn’t have the vitality to kick a ball and quick ahead to him profitable medals on the Transplant Video games, confirmed me how vital your well being is.’

Cian, a former DCU scholar, and brother Pearce (27), an achieved pastry chef, discovered themselves out of labor after lockdown and in Might established ‘The Rock Bakery’, a freshly baked produce for supply enterprise, which operates out of the kitchen of the Potager restaurant in Skerries.

The brothers have pledged to donate supply fees for his or her freshly baked orders to their fundraiser, which has additionally already reached and appears set to surpass its €2,000 goal by the Problem’s Go Fund Me web page.

Organ Donor Playing cards could be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Affiliation on 01 6205306 or Free textual content the phrase DONOR to 50050. You too can go to the web site www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or obtain a free ‘digital organ donor card’ APP to your cellphone.

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