Ballybunion’s Scoil Íosagáin set to host ‘Pink Day’ in aid of Marie Keating Foundation

Scoil Íosagáin in Ballybunion will next Wednesday June 14 host a ‘Pink Day’ fundraising event to promote the 100km in 30 days campaign which is raising vital funds for the Marie Keating Foundation (MKF) charity.

Named after Marie Keating who passed away from breast cancer in 1998, the charity is now one of the leading voices in Ireland for cancer prevention, awareness and support.

Their 100k in 30 Days campaign – where people are encouraged to try and walk 100km over the course of the month of June – has raised over €4 million for breast cancer and the charity since ir started four years ago.

Stephanie Blake, a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) in the school is one of the organisers of the ‘Pink Day’ and someone who has every reason to want to support the MKF after she was diagnosed last May with breast cancer.

She spoke to The Kerryman this week.

“I was diagnosed in May of last year and treatment is going good so far. I’ve just started radiation this past Friday so I have another four weeks of treatment to go. With the help of god, I’ll be finished on July 5, I’m counting down the days,” she said with a laugh.

“I was very lucky with my chemo treatment as well because yes while I was sick, there were people who were a lot worse than me. So, I’m hoping that the radiation – with fingers, toes and everything else crossed – will be the same, that I’ll breeze through it without too many issues,” she continued.

“It’s great. I’m delighted that they [the school] are doing it,” she said.

Going on, Stephanie gave us a run down of what the big day on June 14 will entail including a basketball tournament, visits from a few famous faces from the world of sport as well as of course, pink ice cream to top it all off.

“Each child in the school is firstly donating €3 to the MKF and they will all be wearing pink and there will be prizes for things like the best costumes on the day,” she said.

“Then, from 10am to 12pm, we’re having a basketball match and we also have a few sports personalities coming in the morning too and we’re going to have a little basketball tournament,” she said, adding that she is currently the Chairperson of the basketball club in Ballybunion and that she has been aided in setting the tournament up by the help of friends Mary Gardiner and Trish Bryne.

“The sport element of it, it’s also to help promote ‘Active Week’ in the school as well while tying in as well with the 100k in 30 Days campaign too,” she continued.

All are welcome to the attend the school’s ‘Pink Day’ event next Wednesday.

If anyone is interested in taking part in the 100k event, they can register for it online now at 100kin30days.ie

Alternatively, they can donate directly to the Marie Keating Foundation by heading to MarieKeating.ie

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