My wife Rosaleen and I travelled yearly to Bulgaria. A place we often discussed we would retire to in later years. But the later years didn't come. My last memory was Rosaleen sitting in a hairdressers across the road from a restaurant I was in. Rosaleen waved across the road at me with the huge big smile she always had for everyone. We went for dinner and then walked back towards our apartment stopping at a few stalls for Rosaleen to pick up bits of presents for home. we were minutes away when we were involved in a hit and run accident. Rosaleen passed away in the hospital we were both taken too. The Kevin bell repatriation trust contacted us as soon as they heard of the accident. We thankfully had insurance in place but they provided alternative support and guidance to us which was vital especially when we were in a hospital with no available English speaking staff. Thousands of young adults leave our country to find work abroad and we never consider that tragedy occurs. Shockingly this trust has taken home 63 individuals to their families from the beginning of 2017.

Last year we got another blow and I was diagnosed with cancer. Physically I received life changing surgery and treatment but emotionally Charis cancer care give me someone to talk to about my concerns and fears throughout my journey and insured I left each time with a smile.
Someone receives a cancer diagnosis every minute of every day. Action cancers mission is to support local people through awareness, prevention, detection and support.
When I first found out I had cancer I told family and friends that I was going to cycle from Tyrone to Tipperary from were my daddy was born to my mummy's home, to raise money for these particular charities.
No one knows when they will need support from these charities and never did I think my family and I would need them but to be able to give something back and allow these fantastic organisations to continue with the roles they play is essential.