Three tough runs to help buy bus for navan centre

Athboy native Ronan Donohue is planning to run 176 miles in three separate races in Ireland and the UK to raise money that will go towards the cost of buying a new bus for the Alzheimrer’s Society’s Whistlemount Day Care Centre in Navan.
This Sunday, 19th July, Ronan will take part in the 50-mile challenge in Kent. Just weeks later, between 8th and 9th August, Ronan will take part in the NDW 100-Mile Trail Run on the North Downs Way between Farnham in Surrey and Wye in Kent. He will then take part in the Dublin City Marathon on 26th October.
The Whistlemount Day Care Centre in Navan provides care and stimulation for people with dementia and a break for family caregivers.
Ronan, who lives in Kent, was inspired to take on the challenge when his father, Sarsfield Donohue, passed away earlier this year after years of coping with dementia.
Sarsfield was a well-known and highly-regarded bus driver who drove the Granard-Athboy-Trim-Dublin route for many years.
The expert and compassionate care the caregivers at the Whistlemount Day Care Centre provided to Sarsfield inspired Ronan to give something back.
The centre uses a minibus every day to collect clients in the morning from their homes to take them to the centre and drop them home in the evening.
“I don’t think the centre gets enough recognition for the work it does. I certainly never knew about it until Dad went there,” said Ronan. “After Dad passed away, we attended for the presentation of ’Sarsfield’s Clock’, so I saw first-hand the work they do and they are amazing people.”
Members of the public who would like to make a donation of any amount can do so by visiting www.mycharity.ie/event/whistlemount