Couple ‘lucky to be alive’ after virus raffle cottage for just €10 to support health staff
A RETIRED Irish couple who survived Covid-19 have donated their adored holiday home for the benefit of frontline healthcare workers.
The cottage, nestled under the Ox Mountains and lying along the banks of the Yellow River, in Askillaun, Foxford, Co Mayo, could be yours for just €10.
The couple, Patrick – a retired businessman – and Joan – a doctor – wish to remain anonymous, but explained why they want to honour frontline healthcare staff.
“Having seen what the virus was like with my husband, who is very lucky to be alive, I can only marvel at their strength and conviction.
“We used to go to the cottage in Mayo, for holidays. It is a beautiful, peaceful place and once you go there, it is hard to leave.
“We did a lot of work on it in 2015, 2016 and made it more comfortable and modern.
“In 2017, during Hurricane Ophelia, I got blown over by the wind and damaged my hip. I ended up having a hip replacement.
“This got us thinking about our life, and we decided that we would see more of the world and go travelling,” she said.
In March, the couple had been travelling in Mexico when they heard about the coronavirus pandemic and decided to return to Canada where they had been staying.
“We drove through the USA to Canada on the way, Patrick got a sore throat.
“When we reached the Canadian border, Patrick told the official he was feeling unwell. We were told to go straight to our destination and self-isolate for 14 days.
“Two days later, he developed a fever and a cough which became very harsh and prolonged.
“During the coughing spells, he became very scared and wondered if he would ever get any air into his lungs and felt that he was suffocating.
“It was very, very scary. His heart was racing and irregular. He was lucky. He tells everybody it was John Jameson who saved him.”
Within days Joan also developed symptoms.
“I was very lucky as I just got a sore throat for two days and fatigue. Thankfully, I was able to look after Patrick.
“Now that we have recovered, we both feel lucky to be alive.”
Upon her recovery, Joan registered for the HSE’s ‘Be On-Call for Ireland’ but due to the complexity of the process was forced to withdraw.
“As we were planning to return to Ireland, I wondered how I could help others in the pandemic.
“I realised I would have to re-register with the Medical Council, get re-insured and get Garda clearance. As it was 10 years since I had worked in a hospital, I would probably have to be re-educated also so I withdrew,” she said.
“I began to think about how else we could assist people in Ireland. We decided we had the cottage in Mayo and we could raffle it.”
She said having worked in hospitals all her career, she always thought the support staff should get more.
“They were always cheerful, hard-working and reliable and kept the hospital ticking over,” she added.
“I admire them so much, turning in every day, knowing the risks that they were taking for themselves and their families.
“These are the people we are raffling the cottage for.”
Patrick echoed Joan’s sentiments.
“To think that ordinary people do such good for others and keep doing it every day such risk to themselves is incredible,” he said.
To be in with a chance of owning your “true slice of heaven”, visit rafflecreator. com/pages/38253/a-cottagein-ireland-for-€10