Home News Features Brave firefighters walk for charity

Brave firefighters walk for charity

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

FINGLAS firefighters will set off on a 28-kilometre walk in the coming weeks in the hope of raising e30,000 for a charity close to their hearts. The crew of Finglas Fire Station will hang up their helmets and lace up their walking boots for the canal walk from Kilcock to Dublin on June 27. The brave battalion will be joined by hundreds of fellow walkers and runners in an effort to raise much-deserved funding for the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) in Clontarf. The walk was inspired by Finglas Station Officer, Frank Kiernan, and firefighter Vinnie Carroll whose 11-year-old daughter Lauren attends the CRC. “Lauren has been going to the clinic almost all her life,” Vinnie told Northside People. “She has occupation and physical therapy regularly there and the team have been absolutely fantastic to her over the years.” Brave Lauren suffers from an extremely rare genetic condition known as Duplication of 3q, which is caused by having an extra pair of one of the body’s 46 chromosomes. Lauren is the only person in Ireland with the condition. “When she was diagnosed we were basically brought into a room and told what she had and told to research the condition ourselves,” Mr Carroll explained. “We had no idea where to go and in the end we joined a group in the UK which is where we learned that every child with the condition is different to one another. “Even though we know of three other children in the UK with the condition, Lauren is the only one who is suffering from renal failure as well.” Unfortunately, Lauren’s prognosis is as of yet unknown because of the complex nature of the condition and its rarity. “It has been tough but you just have to get on with it,” Vinnie explained. “Lauren is one of the happiest and most loving girls you could meet, she’s always smiling.” Despite attending hospital for dialysis three times a week, Lauren still maintains a normal life for a child her age as much as possible. She goes to Gaelscoil Bharra national school in Cabra. The canal walk in aid of the CRC will kick off from Kilcock at 10am on the morning of July 27. “We came up for the idea for a walk for charity one night when we were sitting around the station,” Vinnie said. “I know first hand just what a well deserving cause the CRC is. It would just be great to be able to give something back to the centre, which has given us so much support over the years.” Paul Kiely of Central Remedial Clinic thanked and praised the Finglas fire crew for their charitable spirit. “Not only do these brave men and women dedicate their working lives to serving the community; they have the same courageous spirit and generosity of heart in their spare time,” he said. “We are delighted to have the support of the Dublin Fire Brigade in their first canal walk and all of the proceeds will go towards providing a wide range of specialist services for children and adults with disabilities across Ireland.” Everyone is welcome to partake in the upcoming 28-kilometre endurance walk. • For further information email or to sponsor a firefighter visit www.crc.ie