Saying Yes to Orkambi at CF ball
WEDDING DRESS BALL FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS
THERE was glamour and style aplenty in the Ashdown Park Hotel recently at a fundraising ball.
The Wedding Dress Ball in aid of Cystic Fibrosis was organised by Claire Merrigan and Eve Carr and was just the thing to get people in the mood for Valentine’s Day.
Claire, whose son Mason has Cystic Fibrosis, said she was thrilled with how the event went adding it also helped to raise awareness for the Orkambi campaign which is currently under way nationwide to get government support for the drug, which will the quality of life for children with Cystic Fibrosis.
‘ The ball went really, really well for us and we raised over €3,500 which we were delighted with especially as the number of people attending wasn’t as high as last year’s ball.
‘In total we had 97 people in the ballroom and around half of the ladies attending wore their wedding dresses while the rest of the ladies and the men wore dresses and suits.
‘We had one group of ladies who were particularly imaginative and the party arrived in a variety of different outfits seen on women in the lead up to the wedding including a hen party outfit, bridesmaids, brides and wedding guests. It was really fun and one of them was crowned the Queen of the Ball.’
Claire said the theme of the ball was the Orkbambi campaign and went the guests walked into the ballroom they were treated to the sight of dozens of tealights lit up on the dance floor spelling out Yes Orbambi.
‘ The staff of the Ashdown were superb and couldn’t have done enough for us’, said Claire. ‘ They helped to light all the candles which allowed us to mingle with the guests. Everyone was struck by how beautiful the lights were on entering the room.’
No wedding is complete without a speech or two and Claire addressed the crowd and showed a short video while Bernie Martin who spearheaded the Orkambi campaign also spoke.
Guests attending the ball were treated to a four course meal followed by dancing to Point Blank and DJ Gregg Murphy who also supplied uplighting and Team Mason in lights. They also got to take home a lovely goodie bag donated by Hickey’s Pharmacy.