Tullamore hospital worker's walk to Dublin to honour his Dad

A staff member in Tullamore hospital is preparing to honour his late father in a special way this month - by walking from Offaly to Dublin to raise money for hospice charities.

Norman Browne works as a porter in the Emergency Department at the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. Originally from Dublin, he lives in Cill Bán, just off Collins Lane, in Tullamore and has been working in the hospital for the last 21 years.

His Dad, Patrick Browne, died from pancreatic cancer on September 11 last, and his positive experience of hospice care inspired Norman's upcoming challenge which will see him walk along the Grand Canal, from Shannon Harbour, to Grand Canal Dock in Dublin.

The walk is taking place on May 22, 23 and 24 in order to raise funds for Our Lady’s Hospice in Harold's Cross and Offaly Hospice Foundation.

Norman said it was his father's wish that something would be done to support Our Lady’s Hospice in Harold's Cross, which was where he passed away.

"Over the two years that he was palliative they looked after his care both at home, from hospice community nurses, and in respite care within the hospice building," said Norman.

“It was very reassuring both for myself and my siblings to see how our Dad was cared for, how close the hospice team stayed in contact with us, and to be made aware of how things were at any time of concern for us or them.”

"Knowing and experiencing this, I decided to do a charity walk as walking and being out in nature was a pastime which Dad loved.

"The significance of walking along the Grand Canal is that the canal flows through Offaly, the county I live and work in, and through Tullamore where a new hospice will be based.

"It flows through Drimnagh, where my Dad lived during his childhood, and it flows through Harold's Cross, only a few hundred metres away from the from gates of Our Lady’s Hospice.

"I've called the walk 'In the Footsteps of Paddy' as a tribute to my Dad. We all follow in the footsteps of our parents or people who are significant in our lives."

Norman added that he had included the Offaly Hospice Foundation in his fundraising, as the county does not yet have a dedicated hospice but he hopes it will have one soon.

"From working in the hospital and in the locality I'm acutely aware of the need for one, although I have to acknowledge the work of the palliative care team in Tullamore Hospital and the nurses in the Brosna Ward, where there are two hospice rooms, and in the Clonmacnoise Ward, where there is one hospice room."

He told the Offaly Independent there had been a "really positive" response from colleagues in the hospital in Tullamore when he told them about his epic walk this month.

"We have a large staff, and they have been very enouraging," he said.

Norman's route for the walk is expected to take him from Shannon Harbour to Ballycommon on Friday, May 22, then from Ballycommon to Robertstown on Saturday, May 23, and from Robertstown to Grand Canal Dock on Sunday, May 24.

He has launched an iDonate fundraising page and, at the time of writing, more than €3,800 had already been raised. The fundraising page will remain open for donations until Father's Day, Juen 21.

"If anyone would be in a position to donate I would be extremely grateful and if anyone would like to join me for a few kilometres along the route I'd be glad of the company," said Norman.

Donations to his iDonate page can be made here: www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/normanbrowne