Frontline medical staff throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland will cycle to the Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge Dublin this September to remember all those who have lost their lives to Covid-19 and to raise €150,000 for those impacted by the secondary challenges of the pandemic through 4 chosen charity partners:
ALONE (supporting older people)
Aware (mental health supports)
Aware NI (depression supports in Northern Ireland)
Breakthrough Cancer Research (new treatments for poor prognosis and difficult to treat cancers).
The ICU4U event will see small teams of ICU doctors, nurses, paramedics, ambulance drivers, other healthcare staff and some gardai depart from each of the six nationwide University Hospitals in Cork, Belfast, Galway, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford on 2nd - 3rd September. They will pass through as many community hospitals as possible en route to Dublin, collecting white roses along the way to represent lives lost to the virus. Then over 7000 white roses will be displayed at the gardens on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd September, representing each life lost in Ireland to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the end of the cycle on Friday 3rd September, a brief commemoration ceremony will be held in line with public health restrictions at the Memorial Gardens Islandbridge to remember the victims of Covid-19 in front of the 7000+ white roses.
On Saturday 4th September members of the public will be invited to come to the gardens to remember loved ones and take a rose, making a donation if they so wish.
More than half of the fundraising target has already been reached through incredible corporate sponsorship from Aercap, Fannins Healthcare, Lilly, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, Resmed, Medserv, Gilead, GSK and others. The initiative is also supported by Dalata Hotels, the Harris Group (vans), Irish Rail, and The Flower Box.
The event follows on from last year’s ICU4U fundraising cycle when doctors, nurses and staff from Ireland’s Intensive Care Units (ICU) successfully raised €120,000 for these charities. At the time, many working in the ICU felt uncomfortable with being labelled heroic and wanted to turn the focus back on those most in need and help charities to raise funds to keep their services running.
The 2-day ICU4U Cycle, which will strictly adhere to public health restrictions, is a collaboration between healthcare staff at The Mater Dublin, Cork University Hospital, The Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast, Galway University Hospital, Limerick University Hospital, Crumlin/Temple St, Sligo University Hospital, and Waterford University Hospital.
We hope you will support this collaboration of the medical community to help us remember those who have lost their lives over the past 18 months and to provide hope for the future for others. To donate click on the button to the right.
