300 sought for charity cycle trip to Dublin that hopes raise €150,000 for children with scoliosis

Around 300 cyclists are being sought for a biking trip from Cork to Dublin next month which is expected to raise more than €150,000 for a charity offering free surgery to children with scoliosis and other health problems.

All funds raised will be allocated to Straight Ahead, a medical support group co-founded and run by Cork-born orthopaedic consultant Dr Patrick Kiely, one of those participating in the cycle.

Many children in Ireland who require orthopaedic surgeries for conditions like scoliosis, face long waiting lists before receiving treatment — their conditions often deteriorate while waiting for surgery, resulting in more invasive and expensive procedures in the long term.

The team of surgeons which manages Straight Ahead tackles the problem of long waiting lists by offering pro-bono surgery to children who face significant delays in receiving important operations.

The group is affiliated to CMRF Crumlin, the principal fundraising arm of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and the National Children’s Research Centre.

CMRF Crumlin plays a key role in supporting the hospital to deliver state of the art facilities; equipment, infrastructure, leisure and entertainment devices for the children, accommodation for families and other special requirements and needs for some of Ireland’s sickest children.

It also funds vital paediatric research and has been able to establish the National Children’s Research Centre (NCRC).

The organisers of next month’s cycling event, the Laurels Charity Crew has raised almost €500,000 for CMRF Crumlin over the past six years.

Next month, however, the Crew hopes to meet its biggest fundraising target to date of €150,000 — and Straight Ahead is to be the beneficiary.

The group hopes to complete a two-day fundraising cycle from Cork-Little Island and Fermoy to Dublin on April 15/16.

“The Laurels Charity Crew does a fantastic job each year rolling out its annual fundraiser for CMRF Crumlin. Straight Ahead is honoured to have been chosen as the beneficiary of this year’s cycle,” said Dr Kiely, a consultant at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin.

“We are hugely dependent on fundraising to maintain the pro-bono work we do and the funds raised from the Laurels Charity Cycle will help us continue providing crucial orthopaedic procedures and equipment for children across the country throughout 2016.”

The cycle will generate significant funds for Straight Ahead, said Denis McCarthy co-founder of the Laurels Charity Crew.

He said: “The surgeons at Straight Ahead do whatever they can to help orthopaedic patients, often working at weekends when operating theatres are empty, to perform crucial pro-bono surgery.

“We are proud that the money raised from our two-day cycle will be used to keep their fantastic work going throughout 2016,” said Mr McCarthy

Registrations for the cycle can be made online at https://www.eventbrite.ie/d/ireland-…/laurels-charity-cycle/