Cork woman Gemma top of world after ‘3 Peaks’ climb

A Cork woman diagnosed with a brain tumour at 27 climbed three of Ireland’s highest mountains over the May bank holiday weekend. She did it for the charities that helped her back to health.

Gemma Coffey’s fundraiser involved consecutive climbs of Croagh Patrick (Mayo), Carrauntoohil (Kerry), and Galtee Mór, near her native Mitchelstown, over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, a combined height of more than 2,700m.

Her diagnosis was a chance discovery following a tinnitus check-up in her ear in 2022.

Ms Coffey said: “I had tinnitus (ringing or buzzing sensation) in my left ear, which was going on a long time. 

"It was during covid and things got delayed, so I wasn’t doing much with it. At the time, I was working in a pharmacy. We had an audiologist, who checked out my ear and pushed for a referral.

“I went to Cork ENT (ear, nose, and throat clinic), which did a scan and found something and wanted to send me to a neurologist at Cork University Hospital.”

Gemma did a gruelling six weeks of radiation and 36 weeks of chemotherapy for six weeks at a time, to stabilise the tumour and stop it progressing. Surgery was too risky.

TREATMENT

One of the three organisations that supported her treatment was the Breeda McGrath Memorial Fund at Cork University Hospital, set up for patients of the Dunmanway Cancer Services Day Unit. Founded by the McGrath and Leonard families in 2018, in memory of Limerick woman Breeda, who died that year, aged 50, the fund provides financial support to people undergoing cancer treatment.

Ms Coffey, now aged 30, also did the fundraiser to raise money for Arc House and the Irish Cancer Society.

The challenge was the idea of Gemma’s partner of 10 years, James Magner, who suggested she do something out of the ordinary.

“Thanks to the incredible support of these three amazing charities, I was able to navigate one of the toughest chapters of my life,” Ms Coffey said.

Donations towards Gemma’s fundraising initiative can still be made online via https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/gemmacoffey