Colum’s Charity Heart Walk in Memory of Dad Malachy Wynn Raises £3,400
A heartfelt walk organised by Downpatrick man Colum Wynn in February has raised a spectacular total of £3,400 for Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke in memory of his late father, Malachy, who died from heart disease.
With February being National Heart Month, the local charity hosted its annual Red Dress Fun Run 5 kilometre run and walk at Stormont Estate in Belfast on the 27th February, raising awareness and funds to combat heart illness. The charity also encouraged people across Northern Ireland to take part virtually in their local area.
Colum opted to go one step further and host his own Red Dress Walk event in Downpatrick in memory of his late father to raise donations for the charity.
Colum says, “My dad was only 61 years of age and was a very active man. The preliminary cause of his death was heart disease, which we had no idea about.
“His death really hit home, and when you read the statistics like almost one in five people in Northern Ireland are affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions, it’s very scary. I wanted to do something to give back.”
Colum and his family found themselves totally overwhelmed by support from the local community, with over 200 people turning up on the day to support the event.
Colum added: “The support for our fundraiser and for Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke on the day was incredible, not only from family, friends and well-wishers but also from several businesses.
“We hosted a raffle which had over 70 amazing prizes donated and was a huge success. I’d like to say a massive thanks to Russell Gaelic Union Downpatrick for their support in providing the venue and hospitality on the day and helping me achieve my ambition which was to do something positive and help others in my dad’s memory.”
“The fantastic amount that we have fundraised will help so many people and that was my motivation to step up and get involved in the NICHS Red Dress Fun Run Campaign.”
Nadia Duncan, Events & Marketing Manager from Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke, said: “We are so grateful for Colum’s support, and to the whole community for rallying behind this event.
“Sadly, four people in Northern Ireland die every day from heart disease, and coronary heart disease is the biggest single cause of premature deaths of under 75s.
“Almost 90% of our care, prevention and research work is funded exclusively by public donations. Fundraising efforts like Colum’s are vital in enabling us to continue to support the local community and provide life-changing services for people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions and their families.
“The funds raised will make a massive difference to help us continue to fight heart disease and care for people affected in the local Downpatrick area, and across Northern Ireland.”
