FACING THE PAIN IN KILLORGLIN

CONSECUTIVE WEEKEND FUNDRAISERS BRING IN €2,818 FOR KILLORGLIN FAMILY IN UNENVIABLE POSITION

TWO fundraisers – one a machine run, the other a shave-orwax event – have raised almost €3,000 for a Killorglin-area family dealing with the devastating news that their one-yearold daughter is terminally ill with Leigh’s Disease.

The fundraising events for the ‘Mitten Fund’ have taken place over the past two weekends, the most recent of which was Saturday’s shave-or-wax event in The Fishery, Killorglin.

One of the organisers, Feral Ashworth, was among four people to get her head shaved, the others being Mark Davy, David Roach, and her sister, Fern.

“Originally, two people were going to get their legs waxed: Mark Davy and David Roach,” Feral told The Kerryman.

“But we got two more volunteers on the day: Aaron Knight and Kevin Flynn.

“We also held a raffle on the day, and we were brilliantly supported by businesses all the way between south Kerry and mid Kerry. Even those who were not able to donate a prize had helped us out by providing services.”

The event, combined with the previous Saturday’s machine run, raised a total of €2,818, all of which will be going to the mitten fund.

“There will be further fundraisers in the months ahead,” Feral explained. “We’re also very happy with the attendance. It was a good crowd, and we also had many people connected to the people we were raising funds for.”

But aside from raising funds for a great cause, Feral explained that the event on Saturday was not only about fundraising. She said that she hopes the head-shave, which she took part in herself, addressed some body-image concerns some people may have.

“Some of the younger generation, they may see someone on TV and might want to look like that person – and it just isn’t realistic,” she said.

“I also donated my hair to the Little Princess Trust in the UK,” she added.

This is a charity that provides real hair wigs to children suffering hair loss due to cancer treatment and alopecia.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Shauna Clifford, Kevin O’Flynn, Aoife Sheehan, Mark Davy and Aaron Knight participating in the Charity Wax and Head Shave at the Fishery Killorglin on Saturday.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Eabha and Kiann Huggett at the Charity Wax and Head Shave at the Fishery Killorglin on Saturday.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Feral Ashworth and Lucy Knight doing a leg wax for Daithi Roche at the Charity Wax and Head Shave at the Fishery Killorglin on Saturday.