A brave Dublin firefighter has vowed to complete the Dublin Marathon in 25kg of heavy equipment before starting over in New York to help children battling cancer.
Firefighter and gym owner Tom Hempsey, 37, decided to run with a bulky kit that included an oxygen bottle, helmet and boots after being asked by a client whose daughter, now 6, is battling brain cancer. I decided.
The father of two completed the Dublin Marathon in 2019, but this is the first time he’s tackled the demanding race in formal attire, and shedding some gear along the way isn’t an option. I vowed not to.
The former soldier began raising money for children’s charities years ago after seeing the horrors of war on children while on tour in Afghanistan and Somalia.
“I’ve worn a lot of gear and I’ve been training in boots and I’ve only trained about 15kg so far.”
“I was in the military for 10 years, serving in Afghanistan and Somalia, so I was used to traveling with a lot of equipment.
“I completed the Dublin Marathon in 2019 and have run several marathons in Northern Ireland, but this will be my first time wearing the uniform of the Dublin Fire Brigade, where I have worked for the past two years.
“While working in Afghanistan, I saw the horrors of war on children. that’s how badly they were treated
“One time we developed a close relationship with the children, giving them water, pencils and other small items. rice field.”
This prompted Mr. Hempsey to raid funds for children’s charities.
To date, he has raised €20,000 for Crumlin Children’s Hospital, Down Syndrome Ireland and Aoibheann’s Pink Tie.
Jimmy Norman and Evie Groves, co-founders of Thom Hempsey and Aoibheann’s Pink Tie.
He owns three gyms in Dublin and Drogheda and has worked with Lorraine Groves for many years. He said her daughter, Evie, is “very close to what I’ve heard in her battle with cancer.”
“I like challenges and everyone is going through hard times right now, whether it is homeless or the rising cost of living. Something had to go beyond, and I came up with the idea: wearing uniforms.
“This gear is designed to keep you warm while keeping out fire, so completing a marathon will be difficult to say the least.”
“But taking the kit off during the race is not an option. I will never live it. We’ll do it all over again. York on the 6th of November.”
Evie’s mother, Lorraine, has no doubts that Hempsey will cross the finish line on Sunday.
Tom Hempsey and Lorraine Groves.
“He’s a great guy. He does this for children. Then he does it all over again in New York for Aoibheann’s Pink Tie, which helps families with children suffering from cancer across Ireland.”
“My daughter, Evie, was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was 7 months old. She underwent chemotherapy and went into remission. Unfortunately, the tumor grew again and is now facing further chemotherapy. But she’s fine.Aoibheann’s Pink Tie motto is to fight like a child, and she’s doing just that.
“Words cannot describe what Aoibheann’s Pink Tie has done for our family since the day we first walked into St. John’s Ward in Crumlin. Little things, big things.
“They gave us smiles we couldn’t have done on our own. They are an incredible charity that helps so many people in so many ways.”
Jimmy Norman, co-founder of Aoibheann’s Pink Tie said: Children who fight cancer every day. ”
