Woman leaves 170k donation to Cork hospice in her will

ONE Cork woman’s generosity will help support countless others at Marymount University Hospital and Hospice.

As reported by the Evening Echo, Catherine Courtney of Horgan’s Building’s left a bequest of €170,668 to the hospice in her will, which is being described as a valuable addition to the organisation’s annual fund-raising goals.

Mrs Courtney, aged 84, who passed away in July 2014, did not have any children and according to solicitor and senator Colm Burke it was always her wish that Marymount be a beneficiary of her will.

“This was a very generous gesture and it was important to her to do it. Even though Catherine never used the facility she was sure that this is what she wanted to do with the money.”

The charitable donation will assist the hospice’s many community services which include respite and palliative care as well as bereavement support.

Daniel Cowman, Chairman of the Friends of Marymount, a voluntary group of fund-raisers, said donations like Catherine’s showed how fantastic the people of Cork are to the Marymount Hospice.

Senator Burke said that Catherine’s donation highlights the value of making a will.

“This really shows the importance of making wills and giving clear directions about how you want your estate to be managed.

“Marymount provide a fantastic service and if anyone is making a will, if they even left €500 to Marymount that would be €500 extra. After all, you can’t take it with you.”

Daniel Cowman said any donation is “very welcome” and “vitally needed.”

“As a group of volunteers we raise in excess of €2 million annually to support essential services in the hospice.

“We are extremely grateful for bequests and legacies. It’s a lovely thing to do and to be remembered in that way.”

The hospice now enters one of its busiest fund-raising months with a number of upcoming initiatives.

More than 200 coffee mornings will take place in the city and county on September 17 in aid of the hospice. while the Friends are also appealing for volunteers to run under their banner at the Evening Echo Women’s Mini Marathon on September 27.

Story via Evening Echo