Scottish Catholic Observer

SCOTLAND’S only Catholic hospice is set for a welcome fundraising donation from one Glasgow resident as he gets set to complete a sponsored cycle from Scotland to Ireland next month.

Hugh Friel, from King’s Park, will be joined by three of his friends in cycling a mammoth 270 miles from St Margaret of Scotland Hospice, Clydebank, to Kerrykeel in Co. Donegal, Ireland, in memory of his sister, Maureen Eileen Deeney (nee Friel).

The engineering firm manager and hospice supporter lost his sister to lung cancer last June. She had worked at the hospice for a decade as ward manager in the Mary Aikenhead Centre.

Following her cancer diagnosis after investigations into a small stroke, Ms Deeney was looked after by her colleagues and friends at the hospice with ‘overwhelming care,’ before she died on June 28, 2016.

Mr Friel is now giving back to the hospice through his sponsored cycle, and will be joined by his friends Anthony Preston, Rui Rossa and Paul Stitt as they embark on the trek from April 1-3 2017. Despite the task ahead of him, and having not cycled in 35 years, Mr Friel is being spurred on by both the emotional significance and fundraising potential, and has already smashed his £2,000 target.

The riders have cycled to Dunoon as part of their training, and have a schedule for their three-day cycle to Ireland.

“When we set off in April, we’re starting early in the morning and hoping to get to the boat in one day—it’s 90 miles,” Mr Friel said. “We’ll be staying in Belfast on the first night. The hardest bit will be the Glenshane Pass, which cuts through the Sperrin Mountains. We’ll be doing that on the Sunday. By Monday we arrive in Kerrykeel. That’s the place where my father and Maureen’s husband’s father are from. I want to raise as much as I can. The thing I’m looking forward to most is getting finished… and raising as much as we can for the hospice.”

Mr Friel spoke highly of the work the hospice does, praising the staff and the support that they give, both to patients and their families.

“The care that all the staff gave Maureen Eileen was unbelievable; seeing it first-hand for myself I was amazed at what all these special people do,” he said.

“We have a large family and most of my family came from Donegal, Ireland, and when they were over they were treated so well, making sure everyone had always had enough to eat, tea, coffee and so on.

“The care was just second to none. Sr Rita and all the staff were just so thoughtful and caring to us all at our deepest, saddest time. All our family could never thank the staff enough for all the care and love that was given to us. We hope to raise as much as possible so these incredible people can continue with their great work that they do each and every day.

“We would be so grateful for any donations no matter how small, as all the funds together will help the hospice continue its outstanding work caring for families when they absolutely need it the most.”

The hospice is the oldest and largest in Scotland, with 30 beds for older adults with medical, nursing and palliative needs, 27 palliative care beds, and three beds for exceptional cases.

For more information about St Margaret of Scotland Hospice, including fundraising and volunteering opportunities, visit: www.smh.org.uk