Denis wins top Cork award
BLARNEY-MAN IS HONOURED FOR RAISING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF EUROS FOR CANCER CARE AND CHARITY
WHEN Blarney man Denis O’Donovan man came up with the inkling of an idea about how he and his son John could help raise money for cancer research , little did he realise that it would eventually lead him to receiving one of Cork’s most prestigious accolades.
This week Denis was unveiled as the December winner of the coveted Cork Person of the Month award in recognition of his simple but ingenious scheme that has raised more than €120,000 for research into cancer and charities across Cork and Kerry.
So impressed was Denis with the care his wife Angela received while being treated for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at the Mercy University Hospital, in 2011 he founded the hugely successful Mercy Recycling Campaign.
While Angela sadly passed away in 2013, her memory lives on through the campaign, which involves Denis and John collecting empty ink cartridges from more than 700 businesses across Munster.
These are then recycled, with the proceeds being channelled to good causes.
To date the campaign has raised more than €120,000, with the bulk for the money going to help fund the Mercy Hospital Cancer Appeal’s Cancer Care Centre,. Situated adjacent to the hospital, the centre provides a quiet, safe place for patients and families to help them deal with cancer diagnosis in a non-clinical and relaxed environment.
Other charities that have benefited from the campaign include: the South Infirmary Head & Neck Cancer Unit, the Kerry Cancer Support Group, Recovery Haven Tralee, the Kerry Hospice and the St Mary’s Dominican Church restoration fund.
In addition, the scheme has proven to be environmentally friendly by saving more than one million empty ink cartridges from being consigned to landfill.
Denis, who has devoted all of his retirement years to the campaign, said the care and compassion his wife received inspired him to get fundraising.
“I had first hand experience of the incredible care and attention received by cancer patients and I just wanted to give something back,” he said.
“I hope this award will further publicise the great work done for cancer patients, especially in Cork and Kerry,” said Denis at the award presentation.
Awards organiser, Mallow-man Manus O’Callaghan, said Denis was a worthy winner of the final 2017 monthly award.
“The fundraising work that Denis has done for the Mercy Hospital’s cancer appeal and other good causes has been incredible. The recycling appeal is unique and has been extremely successful in combining fundraising with helping the environment,” said Manus.
“Denis is truly an inspirational character who was motivated to help others because of the quality of care his late wife Angela received at the Mercy Hospital,” he added.
Denis O’Dovovan’s name will now go forward with the other monthly winners for possible selection as the 2017 Cork Person of the Year, the winner of which will be unveiled at a gala awards in January.