Dear Friends,

A lot of you know this story by now and have already been incredibly generous in donating to the All-Ireland Swim I took part in in April but we still need your help.

My friend Pádraig Schaler, 23 years old, was seriosuly injured last summer while cycling to work in Cape Cod, where he was on a J1 visa. He has remained in a coma ever since. After receiving an operation in Boston, he came home and spent a number of months in Beaumont Hospital until his family made the difficult decision to move him to Germany in order for him to receive adequate care. Pádraig is an incredibly brave and strong young man who is fighting hard to get better and every day he is making small steps on the road to recovery. However, his family have been placed under a huge financial burden.

In order to show our support for Pádraig and for his family, a group of his friends have decided to run the Flora Womens Mini Marathon. I would really appreciate any support you can give to this very special cause. You can learn more about Pádraig's story here: http://caringforpadraig.org/ or on his father's very moving blog: http://hospi-tales.com/

I really appreciate your support,

Caoimhe

A chairde,

Ta an-eolas ag cuid agaibh ar an scéal seo cheanna agus táim fíor bhuíoch as bhur dtacaíocht le linn #SnámhPhádraig. Tá bhur gcabhair ag teastáil uaim. Gortaíodh cara liom, Pádraig Schaler, i dtimpiste bóthair an Samhradh seo caite agus é thall i Cape Cod ag obair ar visa J1. Tar éis dó dul faoi scian thall, tháinig sé ar ais go hÉirinn agus d'fhán sé in Ospidéal Beaumont go dtí gur ghlac a chlann an cinneadh doligh é a bhogadh go dtí an Ghearmáin, áit a bhfuil cúram leighis cuí ar fáil. Is fear dochreidte cróga, láidir é Pádraig agus de réir a chéile, tá feabhas ag teacht air. Ach tá costas ollmhór ag baint leis seo dá chlann.

Mar sin tá sé i gceist ag grúpa cairde Phádraig páirt a ghlacadh i Mini Maratón na mBan. Ba bhreá liom dá bhféadfabh sibh aon tacaíocht a thabhairt dúinn. Tá níos mó eolais ar fáil faoi scéal Phádraig anseo: http://caringforpadraig.org/ agus ar bhlag a athar: http://hospi-tales.com/

Míle buíochas a chairde,

Caoimhe