Beneficiaries say “Grazie mille” to cyclists as Fort2Fort Tour Di Sarti Charity Cycle raises €68,049

Organiser of the Fort2Fort Tour Di Sarti Charity Cycle, Sam Beamish, presented the Mercy University Hospital Foundation and Carrigaline and District Lions Club with €68,049 raised by participating cyclists, at a special event held at Carrigaline Lions Club Youth Centre on February 27th. 

19 cyclists travelled to eastern Italy last October to participate in the three day Fort2Fort Tour Di Sarti Charity Cycle, for what was Fort2Fort’s third international event, following on from the enduring success of the annual Fort2Fort charity cycle which takes place around Cork Harbour. Over the course of three days participants of Tour Di Sarti cycled 218km, climbing 2,360m (approximately the same as cycling to the top of Carrantuohill twice), across two Italian regions and two countries, Italy and Republic of San Marino. Fort2Fort Tour Di Sarti was organised by Sam Beamish of Carrigaline and District Lions Club, who has been instrumental in the success of Fort2Fort since its inception in 2012.

90% of funds raised from the cycle will go towards the new Mercy Cancer CARE Centre, due to open its doors this Spring. The Mercy Cancer CARE Centre will provide vital support for patients and their loved ones as they go through their cancer journey; providing a range of services, from one-to-one counselling and patient support groups, to a safe haven for patients at the time of their initial diagnosis. The remaining 10% raised will go towards Carrigaline and District Lions Club. The total raised for the beneficiaries of all three international Fort2Fort events has now exceeded €166,000. 

Special guest on February 27th for the presentation of the funds raised was Tomasso Morri, owner of Hotel Sarti in Riccionne, where the cyclists stayed during their trip.

Speaking about how funds raised will benefit patients, Professor Derek Power, Clinical Medical Oncologist, Mercy University Hospital said “The funds raised through Fort2Fort Tour Di Sarti will go towards the Cancer CARE Centre which will provide a quiet and safe place for patients and their families to access an increasingly necessary range of services to support those affected both directly and indirectly by a cancer diagnosis. It will also be home to our flagship Psycho-oncology service, delivered by Clinical Psychologists, to support the mental health and emotional needs of cancer patients and their families during such a difficult time. We sincerely thank the Tour Di Sarti cyclists for their support on this vital project.”  

Thanking participants and organisers, on behalf of the Mercy University Hospital Foundation, Micheál Sheridan, CEO, said “Funds raised through the Mercy University Hospital Foundation are used to purchase state-of-the-art equipment, to enhance and develop services at The Mercy. We would not be able to do this without the support that events like Fort2Fort receive, and continued efforts of friends of the Foundation like Sam Beamish, his Fort2Fort committee and the Tour Di Sarti team. Since its inception Fort2Fort, and its successful international iterations, have raised over €500,000, to support this work, and we are so appreciative of that.”

For more information on how funds are used, visit www.mercyhospitalfoundation.ie.