Having dragged many friends and colleagues out for the first Hearty Fools challenge in 2012, which was such a success for us personnally along with both the Mater Foundation and Crumlin's Children's Hospital, the idea of taking to the road again popped up last Christmas. I always thought we would do something again, we just needed that push which came over dinner one night last Christmas.

We're taking to the road with a couple of changes, we cycling up the east coast, again with friends & colleagues and are rasing funds again for the Mater Foundation & also for The Irish Cancer Society.

I had a heart attack in 2010, 2 days after my 40th birthday. This was a massive shock to both myself and all those around me, it was a wake up call, despite having tried in the preceeding years to live a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately having not lived a particularly healthy lifestyle in my younger years combined with the gene's handed down to me (my mother died from heart disease aged only 59), I required a triple by-pass which I underwent in the Mater, hence my connection with the Mater. I am extremely grateful for all the care that I received there, which underpins my desire to give back something via raising funds, thereby helping others who may find themselves in a similar situation.

This time around - The Hearty Fools, have added The Irish Cancer Society as a benefactor as Anne (Darren's wife & chief organiser) and a number of other close friends have unfortunately been in contact with this illness. Every assistance that we can give to cancer preventative research programmes will hopefully bring us closer to better treatments and hopefully one day prevention treatments for this debilitating and life threatening disease that affects so many of us personally or through family and friends.

We are the people doing the actual challenge but the most important element is fund raising. This is only possible through your generosity in sponsoring us/me in our challenge. A truth I heard some months ago and is now everday important to me, Life is About Giving > If We Give We Will Receive. Let's do this together, your help can make a big difference so please give what you can. 

Many Thanks

Frank