Mrs Gail Clarke and her husband Peter from Glenamaddy recently presented a cheque for €2,285 to the Oncology Patient Comfort Fund at UHG.
This donation to the cancer patients fund is just the latest round of Mrs Clarke’s generosity, as she’s been raising money for Galway University Hospitals and other worthy causes for a decade.
For ten years now Gail, along with her friends Anne Kelly and Bernie Connelly, has been hosting ‘Gail and Friends’ coffee morning at Glenamaddy Community Centre to raise money for charitable causes.
For three years running now all the money they’ve raised has gone to Galway University Hospitals, bringing in €2,285 this year alone.
Gail Clarke said that helping cancer patients and supporting University Hospital Galway’s efforts to care for them is cause that means a great deal to her.
“This fundraising event is very close to my heart as I have lost three siblings to Cancer at University Hospital Galway. ” she said.
“I wanted to do something for the hospital in recognition of the support and care my siblings received during their time there, so I decided to start the ‘Gail and Friends’ fundraiser which has now been an annual event for the last ten years.”
Other recipients of their generosity include Galway Hospice, which they raised €1,010 for in 2012.
Mary Forde, Acting Nurse Manager at the Oncology/Haematology Day Ward at UHG promised to put the money to good use.
“We are delighted to receive this donation for the Patient Comfort Fund. This donation will enable us to purchase comfort items for our patients.”
Beyond her annual charity coffee morning, Gail is heavily involved in the community in Glenamaddy, working with the Glenamaddy/Williamstown Ladies Gaelic Football club.
Back in 2010 she was find other ways to care for the health of people in her community by sitting on the organising committee to raise money for defibrillators for the area.
