Cork's ICU doctors, nurses and staff in charity cycle to raise €100k for charities affected by Covid-19

Mon, 24 Aug, 2020 - 09:40

Breda Graham

A charity cycle in aid of four deserving charities is on target to reach €100,000 to be shared amongst Alone, Aware, Breakthrough Cancer Research and ICUsteps.

The ICU 4 U Charity Cycle was launched by Cork’s own comedian and TV celebrity Graham Norton and has already reached over €50,000 thanks to support from corporate sponsors.

Martha Hanlon ICU Steps, Orla Dolan, Breakthrough Cancer Research, Drew Flood, Aware, Halina McNabb, Alone, Serena O Brien Mater ICU and Dr. Patrick Seigne, Cork University Hospital pictured at the launch of the ICU 4 U Charity Cycle, which will see ICU doctors, nurses and staff cycle from all over Ireland to Dublin to raise €100,000 for four charities particularly affected by Covid-19.PIC: NO FEE, MAXWELLS

Chief organiser of the charity cycle and Consultant Intensivist at Cork University Hospital ICU, Dr Patrick Seigne, said that many ICU staff are “uncomfortable with being put up on a pedestal during the crisis” and said “we are just doing our jobs”.

Dr Seigne said that the impact of Covid-19 “reaches far beyond the ICU” and said “we are only seeing the beginning” of secondary challenges, in particular with elderly, those in nursing homes and experiencing anxiety and mental illness.

Drew Flood, Aware, Martha Hanlon ICU Steps, Halina McNabb, Alone, Serena O’Brien, Mater ICU, Orla Dolan, Breakthrough Cancer Research and Dr. Patrick Seigne, Cork University Hospital pictured at the launch of the ICU 4 U Charity Cycle, which will see ICU doctors, nurses and staff cycle from all over Ireland to Dublin to raise €100,000 for four charities particularly affected by the Covid-19 crisis.PIC: NO FEE, MAXWELLS

Ambassador Graham Norton, said that the “entire nation” is grateful for the incredible ICU doctors and their teams “who have worked tirelessly to keep our most vulnerable safe”.

The two-day ICU 4 U Cycle will start on September 3 from five locations in Ireland including Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Galway and Belfast and will end on September 4 in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.