Youghal Cycling Club To Fundraise For Little Zoe’s Cancer Treatment. – By Christy Parker

YOUGHAL CYCLING CLUB is to undertake a 165km fundraising ride on behalf of an 18 month old little girl with a rare cancer condition. Half twin Zoe Lehane Lavarde, from Mallow, suffers from  Atypicalteratoid/Rhabdoid Tumour AT/RT, an aggressive form of the disease. Her mum Orlaith is a first cousin of Tony Walsh, Tinnock, Youghal, who has organised the cycling event.

Zoe is currently in America, where she is receiving specialist treatment at the Burzynski centre in Houston, Texas.  She, her mum, dad Alex and twin brother Leo travelled to Houston last July, to provide Zoe with a much improved chance of survival.

Zoe’s condition was diagnosed earlier this year when her family noticed she was quieter than normal and also losing balance a little. She soon became very ill and was rushed to CUH. Doctors removed a tumour from her brain but the cancer remained.  The cancer form arises in either in the cerebellum (lower, back part of brain that controls balance) or cerebral cortex and often spreads through the central nervous system. Highly malignant, it is usually diagnosed in childhood.

Orlaith and Alex were told that Zoe’s conventional treatment in Ireland would involve strong chemotherapy and just a 10-30% chance of success. The family began researching options and discovered the pioneering Burzynski centre. They travelled to the city last July for a first assessment, after which Zoe was deemed suitable for treatment. “The doctors are pleased with the progress so far but there is still a long and uncertain road ahead,” says Tony.

As always in the US, the medical treatment, which may take up to 18 months, is extremely expensive and, alongside accommodation costs, could reach up to €700,000. The family hope that, eventually, Zoe may be able to continue her treatment in Holland if her condition improves to a stage where it would be viable to re-locate.

Website

The family have established a website www.mysisterzoe.com in Leo’s name where details of Zoe’s brave battle and the various fundraising events are posted. “The people of Mallow and indeed many other places have been extremely generous and supportive,” Tony says, “I want to thank most sincerely Ger Flanagan of the Youghal News and Youghal Cycling Club for their interest and their help in the campaign,” he adds.

Tony will be amongst about 20 cyclists expected to participate in September’s event. The journey will leave the Market Square at 9 am and visit Tallow, Fermoy, Mallow, Blarney, Ballincollig, Bishopstown, Cork city and Midleton before returning to Youghal.  Donations can be made through sponsorship cards, collection boxes on the day or through the following Ulster Bank account: A/c no: 10880255; sort code: 986070 International Details:IBAN:IE47ULSB98607010880255; IBAN BIC: ULSBIE2D

Visit: www.mysisterzoe.com

Youghal Cycling Club always encourages new members both male and female of all ages. We know it can be a bit unnerving if you are new to cycling, joining a club cycle for the first time.

If you are already cycling but feel you could benefit from group cycling, we would like to hear from you. If you are looking for a fun and enjoyable way of getting fit and think road cycling could be for you, we would also like to hear from you!

With bodies(of all shapes) covered head to toe in lyrca and everthing that goes with it,this can be a strange world for the novice cyclist.

A bike of any kind(mountain, road racer,or Hybrid)and a tracksuit is all you need along with the desire to improve your fitness and have a bit of fun at the same time.Check out the training page to see the health benefits of regular cycling.

If you would like to talk to club Secretary Jonathan Tobin about any questions you might have regarding joining the group for a cycle he is only to willing to answer your queries and encourage you to your next step in joining the group for a cycle.

Jonathan can be contacted at 086-8563292 or email

Team Youghal recently presented a cheque for €5,400 to Brendan and Juliette Casey, representing The Emer Casey Foundation. The Team raised this money through their participation in The Race Around Ireland in September, 2010. Team Youghal consists of an eight man team of amateur cyclists backed up by a dedicated volunteer crew.

The Race Around Ireland is far and away the toughest cycling endurance test in Europe and is second only, to the race across America (RAAM) which Team Youghal are participating in this year also for the Emer Casey Foundation. RAAM is considered to be the toughest endurance race on the planet. Team Youghal completed the Race Around Ireland in eighty eight hours and eighteen minutes knocking over an hour off their previous time in 2009 of 90 hours and 6 minutes. Team Youghal covered a distance of 2,160.5 km or 1,350 miles with an average speed of 24.5 km/h. Team Youghal take on the ultimate challenge in June of this year when they line up for the 30th edition of the Race Across America in Oceanside, California on June 18th. The race distance is 3,005 miles and crosses the American continent, finishing in Anapolis, Maryland on the Atlantic Coast.

Ger Flanagan, Team Leader, said;” We are really looking forward to this enormous challenge as it will be a unique experience for both cyclists and crew and will be nothing like our previous challenge with the Race Around Ireland. Once again we are very proud to be supporting The Emer Casey Foundation as they do essential work in the area of ovarian and uterine cancer. This support not only is shown with the presentation of a cheque but also in the increased awareness of the Emer Casey Foundation that occurs purely because of our participation in these Ultra Marathon Cycling events.”

The Emer Casey Foundation is dedicated to providing funding to the ‘Disovary Consortium’ to secure the best independent research to detect the early signs of Uterine/Ovarian cancer. Following the death of local Youghal girl, Emer Casey, in June 2006, the Casey family promised they would do all they could to help this research in the hope of securing a future of early detection.

Juliette Casey, Mother of the late Emer, said: “We are extremely thankful to Team Youghal for the huge effort, commitment and dedication that they have shown The Emer Casey Foundation over the last few years and the much needed funds, and awareness that they have raised. We know and appreciate that each member of the Team have made some big sacrifices in their involvement in The Race Around Ireland over the last two years and now also with the up and coming Race Across America. On behalf of the Casey Family, and the Foundation, I wish them every success in their endeavour.”

If you wish to support Team Youghal’s participation in the Race Across America just log on to their website, www.teamyoughal.com, where all contact information can be found. Team Youghal feels that RAAM could be an excellent opportunity for some company to promote their business, and raise their profile in America, while also supporting a very worthy cause.

Team Youghal is sponsored by Jack O’Patsy Pottery and KIA Motors Youghal.
By Derek Kiely In Youghal – Photo: John Hennessy

TEAM YOUGHAL had their official launch Monday night at the ‘Mall Arts Centre’ in the Mall House ahead of their attempt to defend their ‘Race Around Ireland’ eight person team title.

The race around Ireland is far and away the toughest cycling endurance test in Europe and is the World’s second toughest endurance race and in Ireland the cyclists of Team Youghal will have to cover a distance of 1,350 miles travelling through all four Irish Provinces with many steep climbs and sharp descents along the way, starting at 8pm on Tuesday the 14th of September in Navan.

What makes this such a fantastic challenge is the constant flow of the race which runs 24 hours a day from start to finish, with no let up and that overwhelming desire not only to complete the race which is a huge challenge in itself, but to win it and defend  titles!

The race is part of the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UMCA) World Cup Series and the race is organised by the Navan Road Club and is sanctioned by Cycling Ireland.

Unlike other cycling races such as the RÁS or the Tour de France, the course is in no way roped off, there are no marshals controlling traffic flow, and there are no planned rest stops or stages in this event.

In terms of a sporting event, this really is up there with one of the toughest tests there is as the relay style strategy of Team Youghal will come into play over the four or five days of constant peddling.

There will be a cyclist racing at all times 24 hours a day and the team should enter County Cork via Kerry on Thursday night and make its way by Mizen Head, on through Schull, Bantry, Skibbereen, through the outskirts of Cork City and at approximately 7am on Friday morning the team should be tackling St Patrick’s Hill and then make its way on to East Cork, through Carrigtwohill, Midleton, Castlemartyr, Killeagh and then through its home town of Youghal where there is one of many time stations.

When you consider that this part of the race is just Cork City and County it puts the 1,350 mile distance into perspective.

The Team Youghal cyclists will cycle to raise funds and more importantly raise awareness for the Emer Casey Foundation and are Ger Flanagan, Tommy Roche, Christy McCarthy, Brian Fitzgerald, Kieran Groeger, Eoin Whyte, Michael McCarthy and John Twomey.

Following a video display at the official launch Mayor of Youghal Town Council Mary Linehan Foley told the East Cork Journal “It is my pleasure to launch Team Youghal’s bid to defend their Race Around Ireland title and I want to thank the lads for their dedication and commitment to a very worthy cause in the Emer Casey Foundation, they have put Youghal on the map in a sporting sense and have raised awareness to a foundation that deserves everyone’s support”.

Team Youghal, team leader Ger Flanagan explained the route involved and the ambition to beat the existing winning time in 2009, which stands at 90 hours and 6 minutes, he said “We have a great team involved in this the World’s second toughest endurance race. We have a team of eight great cyclists, plus a support crew that are invaluable in terms of making this all work. I have said it many times before, we are nothing without our support team and I want to thank all our sponsors and friends and families for their support throughout the year”

Juliette Casey mother of the late Emer Casey also attended the launch and said “I want to thank Team Youghal and everyone who have shown tremendous support for the foundation. We started off as a family run foundation and now because of the tremendous support we also have friends helping us to run things. We have three PHD Students working in the area researching Ovarian Cancer and that is only possible because of the fantastic support that we have received and I want to thank everyone for their support”