20 November 2017
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Mark and Martin Fehily from Absolute Airsoft Cork presented Michel Sheridan, CEO, Mercy Hospital Foundation and Damien and Eoin Prendergast, Make Your Mark on Cancer, with a cheque for Û4,002 raised through a charity airsoft game they held on November 19th in aid of Make Your Mark on Cancer and The Mercy Cancer Appeal.
On Sunday, November 19th Absolute Airsoft Cork hosted a charity airsoft game for Make Your Mark on Cancer, raising €4,002 for the Mercy Hospital Foundation’s Mercy Cancer Appeal. The fundraiser was organised by Absolute Airsoft Cork’s Martin Fehily and his son Mark, with the help of Make Your Mark on Cancer’s Eoin and Damien Prendergast, brothers of Mark Prendergast, who lost his battle with testicular cancer in June 2012.
Eoin and Damien, together with a dedicated group of Make Your Mark fundraisers, are committed to making a difference, raising funds and awareness for cancer patients and their families from all over Munster, and since 2013 they have raised in excess of €252,000 for cancer services at the Mercy University Hospital through their annual 22km charity walk from The Viaduct to Bandon, and a number of other fundraisers such as this charity airsoft game. Funds raised will go towards developing the Mercy Hospital Foundation’s proposed new Cancer CARE Centre.
Martin Fehily from Absolute Airsoft Cork is a neighbor of the Prendergast family, but also a former cancer patient at The Mercy University Hospital, and wanted to lend his support to the fundraising efforts, and now hosts this charity airsoft game on an annual basis. This was the second year he hosted the event that saw over 90 players, including 50 regulars at the centre as well as players from clubs in Limerick and Tipperary, and friends of the Prendergast family, participate at the 50 acre woodland site located between Cork and Innishannon.
Speaking about the event, Martin Fehily said “The Cancer Centre that this Make Your Mark on Cancer airsoft game will help fund will help to support and help people who are diagnosed with cancer and their families, by offering them a place to go for information, help, and support. Having been successfully treated for Testicular Cancer 20 years ago at The Mercy, I am aware of what a diagnosis means and how it can affect you, and that is why we are so keen to do what we can to support the fundraising efforts of the Prendergast family.
“I would like to thank everyone who supported the event in any way – the players, and in particular our staff on the day – Damien O’Sullivan, Gavin O’Sullivan, Roy Shorten, Stephen Kiely, Shane Walsh, Michael Grist and Mark Fehily – we could not have managed without them. Thanks must also go to those who donated games and prizes – LAC, Red Hill Airsoft, Red Barn Airsoft, Sim Tac Airsoft, Wasteland Airsoft, Hobby Airsoft, Waterford Airsoft Supplies and Special Ops Airsoft; as well as Platform Architecture, Brooks Beauty Centre, O’Donovan’s Supermarket, The Copper Grove, Dan Moloney Butchers, Murray Menswear, Lily Beauty, Wayne Lloyd Hair, Fresh Fish Shop, The Kilmichael Bar
, Rathcormac Fireplaces, Dessi Electrical , Hyde Foods, and all the guys who helped gather so many other prizes. A big thanks also must go to Margaret and Sabrina Prendergast, Theresa Moore and Nadine Curran, who fed the hungry ‘troops’ on the day which also helped raise funds.”
Damien Prendergast, Make Your Mark on Cancer Chairman said “When patients and their families are facing the darkest days of their lives we want them to feel strengthened by the services on offer at Mercy Cancer Care Centre. It is through the support of people like the team at Absolute Airsoft Cork, that we’re able to make this happen, and for that I would like to thank them on behalf of all of us on the Make Your Mark committee.”
For further information on the Mercy Cancer CARE Centre visit www.mercyfundraising.ie
