http://www.lordshouseofhope.org/getinvolved.html
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Dearest friends,
This Sunday I will embark on one of the most gruelling ultramarathon races available worldwide, the Trans Britain. It is a 6-day ultramarathon race staring in Scotland, running through the spectacular, but punishing, Lake District in England to finish in Wales. From start to finish it is 156 miles to be completed in 6 days (essentially a full marathon per day).
I am enduring this mountain of pain in order to raise funds for two charities that I hold dear.
1: The House of Hope Foundation (Nairobi, Kenya) was created with a single vision in mind: to help improve the lives of disadvantaged children in Kenya. The targeted project—The Lord’s House of Hope Orphanage—in Nairobi, Kenya, is a materialization of this vision and one which continues to grow through the involvement of volunteers and donors from across the globe.
Upon completion, the House of Hope orphanage will serve as a home for up to 40 orphans from one of the world’s largest slums -Kibera- in Kenya. With access to a loving and supportive environment, a healthy diet, medical care and a world class education, the children in the orphanage will be given each and every possible opportunity to succeed and live a life that would otherwise be impossible to attain.
In order to support the goals of the House of Hope Foundation I have agreed to cover the cost of 40 beds for the orphanage. It is for this purpose I am putting myself through the physical and mental agony of the ultramarathon.
2: Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin (Dublin, Ireland) is seeking to upgrade the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit in St John’s Ward and with your assistance I am hoping to secure funds to help the Hospital to do so. Such investment is needed as for children with cancer and other life-threatening conditions whose bodies aren’t creating the healthy blood cells that they rely on, bone marrow transplant (BMT) is a critical and hugely delicate procedure. It’s an intensive, challenging treatment, and the child’s young life hangs in the balance.
In Ireland there are on average 150 children diagnosed yearly with cancer and approximately 30 BMT performed yearly. The current unit at Our Lady’s was opened in 1991 but these facilities are no longer fit-for-purpose. This unit has absolutely got to be gold standard and will require a complete upgrade to achieve international best practice & standards.
To achieve this standard I am seeking to compliment the efforts of the fundraising team at Our Lady’s by attempting this mad race and hoping that you, my friends, will support this urgent appeal.
I have made a commitment to do my part by attempting to complete the Trans Britain but in order to support these charities I am asking you for your support in the form of a small donation. I have included a link to the House of Hope (http://www.lordshouseofhope.org/getinvolved.html) who has agreed (as per my wishes) to split and forward all donations equally with Our Lady’s.
If any of you has any further questions about the race then please contact me should be interested in finding more about the charities then I ask you to speak with either Tom (Our Lady’s) or Joe (House of Hope) who are copied on the mail.
I greatly appreciate all of your support.
Warmest regards,
Shane Kiernan
Link to the race website: http://gobeyondultra.co.uk/go_beyond/trans_britain