Runner undertakes marathon solo run for sick child

An Irish-born Chicago runner is to kick a Gaelic football throughout the entire Dublin Marathon to raise funds for a seven-year old girl with a rare blood disease.

Garry Forde will be participating in the Dublin Marathon on October 25 to raise money for Fiona O’Neill, a seven-year old girl with a rare blood disease.

Fiona is the daughter of Garry's friend, Kevin O’Neill, who hails from the same community in Ireland as Forde in Ballyfore in Edenderry, Co Offaly. She has a rare blood disorder called methemoglobinemia – type II, a disease whose symptoms include a lack of oxygenated blood flowing through her body.

This results in Fiona being fed through a tube and she is non-cognitive and doesn’t recognize family members.

The funds raised by Forde will help ease the financial burden on the O’Neill family, who face huge medical expenses for their daughter’s hospitalization.

Donations can be made to: Funds for Fiona O’Neill, Charter One Bank, 3525 W. 63rd Street, Chicago, Illinois 60629.