OPINION: The people of Kerry have always been very generous to the Kerry Friends of Motor Neurone organisation by organising various fundraisers and supporting street collections to help provide vital assistance to those suffering from the terribly debilitative disease. But, writes the organisation’s chairman Christy Lehane, it’s time that the State agencies did the right thing and provide realistic funding to hep out and local public representations are urged to make their voices heard on the matter
The Kerry Friends of Motor Neurone held its annual charity flag day collection in Killarney town, and at various stores, on Friday, 20th June. This year we were blessed with glorious sunshine which saw everybody in great form.
We were on the streets and stores from early morning where our loyal volunteers again turned up to man the various collection stations. I want to express a heartfelt thank you to all of you who never let our small group down year after year.
I also thank all the very charitable people we met who were so generous and donated the handsome sum of €7,990.20. Thanks also to those people who handed in donations.
All this generosity is so appreciated, particularly in these challenging times when everything seems to have become so expensive. This, of course, also applies to the provision of specialist medical equipment and care for our Motor Neurone sufferers whose numbers seem to be on the increase all the time.
As I have said many times in the past, the services provided by the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association depends hugely on the generosity of the general public where 86 per cent of its annual income comes from fundraising efforts. This is shameful.
So many people we met on the streets of Killarney were appalled when we explained the reason we must fundraise and why we must put in such a huge effort every year to raise awareness and raise much-needed funding.
We are so lucky to have so many friends and colleagues who come to our aid every year. Many people told us that it was not good enough in these modern times that we live in that Motor Neurone sufferers must depend on fundraisers like us to pay for the provision of the services that they need and receive. This I agree with.
I think that it is important that the public is familiar with the facts and that it is more important that the all our public representatives take note of the sad situation and the way that this terrible disease we know as Motor Neurone Disease is funded.
I urge them to study the facts and, going forward, to use their positions of influence to provide realistic funding and not be depending on the public putting their hands into their pockets and handbags to practically provide the service for Motor Neurone sufferers.
Kerry Friends of Motor Neurone have raised a huge amount of funds and awareness since we were formed back in 2011 and we thank all of you good people who have come on that journey with us but I think it’s now time that the Irish Government agencies did the right thing and provide realistic funding.
Finally, I think it is worth remembering the huge fundraising done in recent times by both Charlie Bird and Fr Tony Coote, to name just two, who helped enormously so that the IMNDA were able to recruit extra nurses. Otherwise things would have been so different.
This may seem like that I am getting a lot off my chest but I feel it needs to be said and these are the facts. I am also articulating the views of the public.
Again, many thanks to everyone for raising the big sum of nearly €8,000 which will go towards looking after our Motor Neurone sufferers.
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