All-Ireland rivals join forces for great cause

THE last time Cork met Kerry in an All-Ireland football final (2007) a charitable organisation called build4life (www.build4life.net) was formed.

Parents and friends of people with cystic fibrosis (PWCF) from both counties decided to raise funds to develop Ireland’s first dedicated cystic fibrosis day unit and a dedicated ward with protected beds for PWCF within Cork University Hospital.

These services are crucial for PWCF as they have low immune systems and are very susceptible to infections and because PWCF can expect to spend a lot of time in hospital. The fundraising activities we have engaged in range from the construction and sale of two houses with donated materials and volunteered labour to sponsored sky dives, to marathons ... the list goes on.

The generosity of the people of Cork and Kerry has been remarkable with people from Bandon to Killarney and the Lower Glanmire in Cork city to Dingle coming together to right a wrong PWCF have suffered for too long.

To date build4life has raised €1.6m. The dedicated CF clinic will open in 2010 with the entire cost coming from the monies we have raised. We hope to advance the protected beds we desperately need shortly after, again using the funds we have raised.

I can’t predict the winner of the all-Ireland final but I know that our families and friends with cystic fibrosis are the real winners of the association of our two counties over the past few years. I would like to thank all who have helped and continue to help our organisation.

May the best team win.

Joe Browne Chairman

build4life

Tralee Road

Castleisland

Co Kerry