A LOCAL man and woman have raised a total of £70,000 in West Belfast for the NI Hospice.
Gerry Teeney and Siobhan McEvoy have held fundraising events for the NI Hospice for the past nine years after first meeting at a charity walk.
NI Hospice's 40th celebration walks are just around the corner, with the first walk taking place on Divis and Black Mountain on Saturday, April 1.
Whilst many Hospice supporters will be enjoying the walk for the first time, they will be joined by regulars, Gerry and Siobhan, on the starting line.
Known by their friends at NI Hospice as ‘the Best in the West’, their fundraising efforts over the years highlight that behind every walk is a story waiting to be told.
The impact of losing a loved one is something we all experience in life. Gerry felt that pain with the loss of his father, Thomas Teeney, who passed away in September 2012 following a battle with cancer.
Thomas Teeney pictured just before his passing
Towards the end of his life, Thomas wished to remain at home for treatment and visited Hospice for respite care.
“I wanted to do something to give back, and a good friend of mine at Hospice took me around and showed me the various ways I could help out," remembers Gerry.
“For me, that’s where it all started.”
Only two months later in November 2012, Siobhan's mother, Frances, sadly passed away following a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
“Mum received community care, and it was absolutely amazing,” she reflected.
“After she passed, we organised a fundraising night which raised over £5,000. It was a way of giving back to Hospice – and then I met Gerry. He’s tortured me ever since!”
Frances McEvoy pictured before her passing of ovarian cancer
Since meeting through their commitment to NI Hospice, Gerry and Siobhan have gone on to raise tens of thousands of pounds in support of babies, adults and children receiving palliative care.
From supermarket bagging drives to bucket collections, walks and cheque presentations, Gerry describes that ‘feel-good’ feeling.
“You feel that warm glow when you know it goes towards a great cause," he said.
"You call in lots of favours and friendships, and people are only too happy to help when they hear it’s for Hospice.
“For myself at Hospice Celebration Walks, my father is always at the back of my mind. I imagine him up there, saying ‘go ahead, son’, and he probably is!”
“That was just the way of him. He was so supportive of everything we did. We can never fully repay the Hospice for the care they gave him, but we can pay back a small part by signing up and getting involved.”
2023’s Hospice Celebration Walks will be one that Siobhan is hopeful to see many new and excited faces.
“The Divis walk is beautiful. When you get to the top, it’s all worth it," she added. “The views are amazing, especially on April 1 with the arrival of spring.
“You can just release everything – you’re walking along and you’re thinking about your loved ones while you walk, and you can join your family and your friends in doing it.
"Talking about who you’re doing it for – that’s what I love about the walks."
Siobhan fundraising at Windsor Park
The NI hospice are very grateful for volunteers like Gerry and Siobhan and are encouraging more people to get involved.
This year, the charity is urging people to follow their example by signing up and getting involved in their nearest Hospice Celebration Walk.
You can sign up online here.
