Run for Brain Tumour Charity

Kieran Langridge, who grew up in Killaun, Dromineer and went to school in Puckane, recently completed a charity run that saw him raise the incredible amount of €15,435 for the Brain Tumour Charity. Kieran embarked on this run to remember his cherished partner of five years, Dáire-Louise Devine, who passed away on March 16 last year, aged 25. She had been diagnosed with a brain tumour only two months previously.

He was joined by friend Mark Offiler, who ran the 117kms with Kieran. They started off from Dáire’s previous workplace in Belfast on Friday, March 10, where her work colleagues gathered to see them off on their journey. From there, they ran through the very cold conditions of that weekend, continuing through the snowy Sperrin Mountains on Saturday, supported by friends of both his and Dáire’s from their student days at Leeds Beckitt University, Barney and Ellis.

They arrived in Dáire’s beloved hometown of Derry on Sunday, March 12, to warm, welcoming applause as they ran over the Peace Bridge where they were met by Dáire’s parents, her brother Shane, dog Nina, Kieran’s mother Arlene and sister Jessie, and a group of friends from Derry.

They stopped briefly there before the final 7kms to Dáire-Louise’s family home in Culmore. There, Cait McDermott, on behalf of Dáire’s friends, presented them with Derry crystal medallions, on which were inscribed “To Derry for Dáire”.

Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of people under 40. Almost €800 million is spent on cancer research every year, yet less than three per cent  of that is spent on research into brain tumours. Research is the only real hope of dramatic improvements in the management and treatment of brain tumours. The Brain Tumour Charity is the leader in its field, funding world class research that will benefit people internationally with its findings.

If you would like to donate to this very worthy cause, you can see more on Kieran Langridge’s fundraising page: “To Derry for Dáire” on gofundme.com