In 2010 I was diagnosed with the incurable cancer Multiple Myeloma which has severely damaged my spine.

In the intervening 12 years I have been treated by the wonderful doctors and nurses of St. Anne's Ward at St Vincent’s University Hospital. I have gone from barely being able to get out of bed to getting around with the aid of a walker, to walking more or less normally, bike riding and my lifetime passion, horse riding.

This year I have combined that last passion with fundraising for cancer causes. The Irish Cancer Society will administer the funds donated.

On Saturday  August20, 2022 Newtowns Silver Bobby (stable name “Bobby”) competed in a showing class at the Royal Dublin Horse Show and earned a 4th place rosette. There were 15 entries.

I am seeking sponsorship donations to go to the Irish Cancer Society for the effort of Bobby, his owner,  his wonderful support team and myself.

As you may be aware, treatments based on the ever-improving understanding of the human genome, such as CAR-T cell therapy, are having success against an ever-increasing group of cancer types.

Every donation made to cancer research widens the scope and effectiveness of treatments to more cancer types, saving an increasing number of lives and, with one in every two people worldwide expected to contract cancer at some point in their lives, everybody has a stake in beating this scourge.

Sincere Thanks for your Donation, Please share with your contacts using the "Share" Option on the "Donation" part of the page.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Message sent September 24, 2022  to all On-Line Donors

Hi (Donor Name)

My donation page www.idonate.ie/ShowUp4Cancer has now closed with over €16,000 raised for the work of the Irish Cancer Society.

Firstly, sincere thanks and my gratitude to you the donors for your generosity that brought us to this handsome total.

It would not have happened at all without Dr Gerard Connaghan (just retired, Dr Claire Andrews now) who (with his St. Vincents, St Anne's Ward teams) got me through many crises over 12+ years since diagnosis, I was honoured that he sat through the entire delayed event at RDS.

Sincere thanks to so many people who were key to making the mechanics of fundraising workable and memorable:

·         nephew Tomás Moran, (with partner Ruth and girls Amy and Ellie) a very accomplished horse trainer with an unrivalled track record who did not bat an eyelid when, in June 2022, I put this barely plausible scheme to him, Tomás acted as groom at the event, luxury!

·         Dara Williams for making available her pride and joy "Bobby" a lovely, very manageable horse, (the ride judge absolutely loved "the ride" on Bobby, said so to me at rosette presentation (we came 4th!)).

·         My wife Joan and daughter Kimberley for their belief that I could do it, their encouragement & support and for social media fundraising activities.

·         the "Bobby Team", owner Dara Winters, Tomás, Ruth, Amy & Ellie, current rider Aoife Hanratty, who twice ferried the horse to Ruth & Tomás's place for me to practice, ferried him, Louth/ RDS, and with her friend and Bobby Fan Tina Laird turned him out looking magnificent.

·         The Bobby Fan Group, very vocal when Bobby was moved up to 4th, cheers & tears then and as we left the ring, Euphoria back at the stables, unforgettable!

·         My niece, Tomas’s sister Caroline, her son Andrew, Caroline’s partner David Kenny and my sister May Moran who travelled to the RDS for the event.

·         Joan’s niece Sheena Moynihan, brother Padraig and girlfriend Rachel, all competent riders, there for the event. Too bad we did not meet afterwards at stables!

·         Louise Moran for trojan work on social media and May who lined up interviews with Richard Canny (Roscommon Herald), Marese McDonagh (Irish Times), Joe Finnegan (Shannonside Northern Sound) and Joe Bambrick (Roscommon FM)

·         soon to be son-in-law Ross Harper who with dad David & brother Edmund turned up from London on Ring 1 rail, first I knew was spotting Ross as I walked Bobby around in the competition!

·         Moorlands Equestrian Centre who allowed me to get back into it on their horses.

·         Skirma (Sewing Room Boyle) who made and gifted me my tie in the ICS daffodil yellow.

·         Cousin, breeder and Irish Draft showing judge Mikie Duignan for the loan of his bowler hat!

Aside from the primary aim of successful fundraising it was a wonderful experience for me, a lifetime ambition finally achieved (even if I felt I rode like a sack of spuds!).

My gratitude to you all for your good-natured generous support and sterling work on behalf of the Charity and myself. You turned poor enough chance into a winner!

Sean Moran