THIS year’s Gaeltacht Quarter 10K is set to raise awareness for a very worthy cause.

Now in its third year, this year’s event will help to raise awareness for organ donation and the ‘Is Deontóir Mé – Yes I Donate’ campaign which was started by the parents of two-year-old Ballymurphy boy Dáithí Mac Gabhann.

Dáithí has now spent 153 days on the waiting list for a new heart following a diagnosis of hypoplastic heart syndrome.

Dáithí was born on October 21, 2016 and two days later he travelled to London via air ambulance for surgery. On October 25th 2016 Dáithí had his first open heart surgery – he was four days old.

Speaking to the Andersonstown News about the 10K, Dáithí’s dad Máirtín Mac Gabhann said: “Seph and I are thrilled that Dáithí will once again be raising awareness around organ donation.

“November 25 is going to be by far the biggest Gaeltacht Quarter 10K. As of today we have 181 people registered, in previous years the biggest number was 130.
We are now going to have to extend the number of entries, which I suppose is a good problem to have.

“Each entrant will receive a pink jersey with the message of organ donation on it, the whole point of the race is to get 300 people running through the Gaeltacht Quarter raising awareness around organ donation.”

Máirtín continued: “When the race committee contacted us to tell us we were really touched. Dáithí has achieved so much in his two years, more than most people achieve in a lifetime.

“He has helped raise so much awareness in such a short space of time. The campaign has been unbelievable, I’m bumping into old school friends on the street who I haven’t seen in years and even strangers who recognise Dáithí from being in the Andytown News. They stop us and congratulate us on our campaign, they keep asking ‘what’s next?’ What other two-year-old in the world has that much impact? He makes us so proud.

“Dáithí has recently started walking and running a bit, so you never know, you might see him out there on the day doing a wee bit of running himself.”

The race begins at 9am on Sunday November 25th.

Race route: Tosú: Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Falls Road, Glen Road, Shaws

Road, Andersonstown Road, Falls Road, small lap of Falls Park. Críochnú: Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich.

To register go to: http://10kmDaithi.eventbrite.com

To register to become an organ donor visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-to-donate/register-your-details/