ALL IN HONOUR OF BECKY
FUNDS raised during the Becky Woods memorial cup held in Naomh Mairtin in Monasterboice earlier this summer were donated to a worthy cause last week.
Members of Naomh Mairtin Ladies Football Club and the Woods family presented a cheque for €1112.87 to Tenure Community First Responders Group, a new cardiac response initiative finding their feet in the Tenure area.
The group are hoping to set up a potentially life-saving system in the locality, where locals will be able to contact members of the group in case of emergency and receive assistance during the wait for an ambulance.
Chairperson of the group and cardiac arrest survivor Fintan Harmon explained the generous donation raised during the annual football tournament would help to get the responders off the ground.
“This money means we will be able to purchase a defibrillator and take the first steps in training people in first aid,” he said.
Committee member Feargal Costello said the group will work in conjunction with the ambulance service so that in the event of cardiac arrest in the locality tragedy may be prevented.
“We are hoping to get a defibrillator, then get cardiac first responders trained. In the event of something happening in their local area, they will be contacted by the ambulance service and can respond and be on site, giving assistance before the ambulance arrives,” he said.
“As we develop more, we will extend out the rota and hopefully install publicly accessible defibrillators, or pads, which we will locate at the shop, the church here and in Fieldstown, so it allows ordinary people to get a defibrillator on site very, very quickly.”
Mr Costello said they were very grateful to receive the funds from the Becky Woods cup, held over three weekends in July, with eight u16 teams from ladies’ football clubs all over the county taking part in memory of Becky, who passed away as a result of SADS in 2006.
Co-organiser of the tournament Mark Kirwan said the club were delighted with the turnout at this year’s competition and the great generosity of the teams and supporters who donated to the cause.
“We ended up with six teams as well as two from Naomh Mairtin, and it was really well attended by them, it wasn’t always easy for the clubs to get there every weekend,” he said.
“Myself and Anthony O’Connor have been running this for the last three years, but it started ten years ago. Sometimes it’s a fundraiser, sometimes it’s more competitive. This year our focus was on fundraising and to highlight the need for local defibrillation.”
Becky’s family presented the cheque to the responders with Mr Kirwan and club chairman Noel Healy.
Becky’s father Sean Woods said the club’s efforts were “absolutely brilliant” and that the annual event was something he always looked forward to.
“All they’ve done is unbelievable. It keeps us going, and it keeps Becky’s name going, and for that it is absolutely brilliant.”
“Every year you look forward to it,” he said.
If you are interested in joining the first responders, their next meeting takes place on Tuesday September 12 with a venue TBC. Find out more on the groups Facebook page Tenure Community First Responders Group.