An incredible achievement for a very important cause.
Former Tipperary hurler Seamus Hennessy can feel very proud indeed, following an epic marathon that resulted in the raising of over €200,000 for suicide prevention awareness.
Hennessy undertook the gruelling challenge of running 26 miles over a glacier in the Antarctic in memory of his mother Josie, who he lost to suicide when he was just 11 years old.
The Antarctica Ice Marathon took place in December, with Hennessy battling intense elements as part of his ‘Running for Josie’ campaign.
€220,000 was raised in total, and subsequently presented to Pieta House and Living Links, two charities close to Hennessy’s heart.
Not only that, but the Tipp native completed the marathon in an impressive seven hours, five minutes and 33 seconds, finishing in 33rd place overall.
“It costs approximately €1,000 to bring one person through our service,” notes Kieran Brady, Director of Funding and Advocacy at Pieta House, who received a cheque for €170,000 from Hennessy.
“We are extremely grateful to Seamus for the tremendous fundraising and completing the gruelling physical challenge.
“He is an inspiration to young and old. The funds received will go a long way to help us provide our nationwide services which are free of charge and freely available therapeutic services to people re in suicidal distress and those who engage in self-harm.”
Brady adds that Hennessy’s achievement can only help shatter further stigma that people may have regarding mental health issues.
“Stigma is frequently what brings people to the doors of Pieta House, often adding to stresses on youth and adult mental health,” he says.
“We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the people and communities in Tipperary who supported Seamus and made generous donations to the campaign.”
If you are struggling with your mental health, or if you’re worried about a loved one, these are a number of resources you can avail of.
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