Simon and Joe will give you a run for your money

Hi, my name is Simon Drea. On July 27th, myself and my friend Joe Hughes are running a half marathon in memory of my late mother Carmel Drea ,who passed away on the 31st of August last year from cancer. The last 8 months have been very difficult for my family and I. My mammy was a selfless, caring, generous woman who managed to make everyone around her smile. When my mammy passed it felt like my world had stopped, but I knew the one thing that she wanted for us was to keep going, keep pushing forward and keep smiling, like she always did. Some days are hard for myself, my family and her friends, but then I think of my mammy, her positive attitude and her infectious laugh, and how she had the ability to make everyone smile. Over the last few months I've seen and heard the green shoots of her essence growing, and I've begun to comprehend the incredible effect she has on many people in Tullamore and further afield. People invested in her warmth, kindness and generosity, and it drew people to her.

This Summer we're setting ourselves a challenge to run a half marathon to fundraise for the Offaly Hospice. The hospice will serve the people of Offaly, in particular those in a similar situation to Carmel. The new hospice will be a state of the art facility that will offer essential end of life care. I saw first hand the importance of palliative care, and that is why myself and Joe call on your support.

I promise you that we will both give you a run for your money!