‘I’ll do The Echo Mini Marathon for Crann - mum would be proud’

Heather Troy is out of breath when I talk to her about why she is doing The Echo Women’s Mini Marathon for the Crann Centre this Sunday.

“Sorry,” says Heather breathlessly. “I’ve just been out training for the mini marathon.”

She’s been running in one of the loveliest places in the west of Ireland, Kinvara in Co Galway.

“My husband is from here,” says Heather. “I grew up in Cobh, which is also one of the loveliest places in Ireland. I go up and down to Cork every two weeks to visit dad.”

Heather’s mum Kay passed away earlier this year.

It’s been a difficult time for the family and in particular for Heather’s dad after 53 years of marriage.

“He’s had to adjust,” says Heather.

Heather, like her dad, misses Kay every day too.

“Mum, always full of the joys of life, had great plans to celebrate her 70th birthday in April.”

It wasn’t to be. Kay passed away in February at age 69.

But Heather and her family are consoled that Kay Kenny was so well looked after and so well supported by the Crann Centre in Ballincollig.

“The Crann Centre offers an incredible service,” says Heather.

“We are forever grateful to them.”

The Crann Centre provides life-changing services and support for people with neuro-physical disabilities and their families. They gave dedicated support to Kay Kenny, Heather’s mother, after she suffered a stroke.

“Mum was in Paris on holiday three years ago when she suffered a stroke,” says Heather.

“She had a great love of France. She studied there, and she fell in love with the style and with the food. She said that Paris ‘made her come alive’.”

Then Kay took a turn.

“In France she was diagnosed with CAA,” says Heather.

“My grandfather also suffered the same thing. It is hereditary.”

CAA is a genetic condition, which leads to a build up of protein in the blood.

“There is three to five years life expectancy after suffering [this type of] CCA,” says Heather.

It wasn’t good news.

“You are never prepared for that information,” says Heather. “It is heart-breaking.”

Kay was an active wife, mother, and grandmother.

“She’d be in the playground with the kids, or outside in the garden kicking a ball with them,” says Heather. “She loved reading to them.”

Kay was full of the joys of life.

“She used to love jumping around with the kids.”

That all changed when she suffered a stroke.

“Mum was so healthy,” says Heather.

“She didn’t drink or smoke. She was always very aware of her diet, and she loved walking.”

How did the stroke affect Kay’s active, happy lifestyle?

“Her left side was badly affected,” says Heather.

“So was her vision. Her cognitive senses were very much lessened.

“When she came home from France three years ago, she would put her hand out in front of her as she was nervous when walking.”

That was not like the Kay that Heather knew and the Kay that her husband knew.

“With the support of the Crann Centre, who offered mum counselling, who worked on her cognitive senses, who gave her back confidence, there was a chance we’d get mum back,” says Heather.

“Mum could have given up. With the support of the Crann Centre, she didn’t give up.

“In the three years that mum was taken care of at the Crann Centre, we got mum back,” says Heather.

Kay was still the same person she always was, someone who loved life, loved her family, and loved all things Parisian.

“We got her back as a mother, a wife, and a granny,” says Heather.

“The Crann Centre gave her so much. And us too,” says Heather.

The Crann Centre gave Kay something else that was vital to keep her optimistic.

“They gave her hope,” says Heather.

“They gave her great hope. They gave her dignity.”

Kay had actually fundraised for the Crann Centre.

“The sense of community there is amazing.”

Heather became part of that community.

“I was in the lobby at the Crann Centre one day,” says Heather.

“A poster on the wall caught my eye about taking part in The EchoMini Marathon for the Crann Centre. I thought, I might do that.

“Since Mum passed in February, I was spurred on to take part in the mini marathon,” says Heather. “She would be so proud of me.

“I think she’ll be with me every step of the way.”

Heather is not alone on her quest to get across the finish line, raising vital funds for the Crann Centre that did so much for her mother in her later years.

“I know mum is looking after me,” says Heather.

Kay would be so proud of her daughter travelling from west down south to take part in the mini marathon for a cause close to both their hearts.

“The Crann Centre offered me and dad aftercare when mum died,” says Heather.

“I am getting out training every day. I love it! Family members and friends are doing the mini marathon with me.”

“My three kids are going to be at the finish line,” says Heather, “it will be nice to see them all there.”

“I’ve already surpassed my target,” adds Heather.

This girl never runs out of breath or out of steam.

“I’m ready to rock!” she declares.

• See: https://eventmaster.ie/fundraising/pages/HT41983969

To register for The Echo Women’s Mini Marathon, see echolive.ie/minimarathon.