Killeigh mother and daughter fundraiser surpasses €10k

A fundraiser organised by a Killeigh mother and daughter to raise money for the Irish Hospice Foundation has passed the €10,000 mark this week – despite setting an initial target of just €500.

Arlene Guilfoyle Beatty from Fenter Lane in Killeigh embarked on the challenge of walking 100 miles for the month of March in memory of her beloved husband Donal, who was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of lymphoma in August 2021 and passed away seven months later.

Not only did Arlene take on the walking challenge, but her only daughter, 19-year old Emma, decided to join the fundraiser by also walking 100 miles in March. The dynamic duo have been walking the highways and byeways of Offaly, and beyond, over the past four weeks and raising a huge amount of money for the Irish Hospice Foundation in the process.

On Wednesday of this week, as the Beatty family poignantly marked the second anniversary of Donal's passing, the fundraiser established in his memory had clocked up over €10,000 in online donations.

Arlene, who also has two sons, Seán (23) and Ronan (21), said she had always intended doing a fundraiser “to give something back” to those who had given so much to the family during her husband's illness, but felt she “wasn't really in the headspace” to do it before now.

She admits to being “just overwhelmed” by the generosity of all those who have donated to the fundraiser for the Irish Hospice Foundation, who funded the provision of palliative care nurses which enabled Donal Beatty to be cared for during the final weeks of his illness, surrounded by family and close friends, and pass away peacefully in his own home. Having her beloved husband pass away at home still gives Arlene Guilfoyle Beatty and her family “enormous comfort” to this day, and she says this would not have been possible without the “wonderful care and support” provided by the Irish Hospice Foundation.

Donations can still be made directly to the fundraiser on the special Facebook page “I'm taking on 100 Miles in March for Irish Hospice Foundation” which was set up by Arlene Guilfoyle Beatty or on both her own and Emma's Instagram accounts. Donations can also be made via sponsorship cards.