Walking across Ireland to boost Cancer Research

Walking across Ireland to boost Cancer Research

8 August 2012 - by Joanne Fleming

TWO veteran Downpatrick walkers are once again taking on Ireland in a quest to raise money for Cancer Research.

Patricia Watterson and Francie Morgan will be walking the width of the country this month — 140 miles in total from the GPO in Dublin, to Eyre Square in Galway.

Four years ago Patricia walked from Malin, Ireland’s most northerly point in Donegal, to Mizen Head, its most southerly point in Cork — a distance of over 400 miles. She has also recently returned from the five-week, 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain.

This time round husband Patrick will be on hand with the caravan at the end of the day and she will have the company of Francie, who himself is an adventurous local walker.

“In 1994 I walked around Ireland with a wheelbarrow,” said Francie. “It took me six weeks to do the 1250 miles, and I have not done a big walk recently until Pat asked me to join her.

“I started to do a quick training programme, started to walk everywhere, and got used to it again.”

Francie, who has worked locally in the building industry and in theatrical design, and lost a member of his own family to cancer, said the disease was unfortunately a problem that wasn’t going away.

“One in every three people going to get cancer,” he said. “One in every four people are going to die from it.

“Cancer Research have saved a lot of people and will save a lot of people. They have done a lot of good work recently, such as that related to stem cell research.”

Patricia agreed it was a universal problem. “It touches everybody,” she said. “When you hear how much it costs to do this research it is staggering. The cheapest microscope is £10,000 a sophisticated one £75,000. The running cost of the lab £400,000 a year. We realise these are hard times, but as test tubes cost £22 and a lab coat £14 even the smallest amount can help.”

The retired Convent of Mercy Primary School teacher said she was looking forward to her latest walking challenge, but said it was hard to predict how difficult it would be.

“You cannot predict injury, extreme weather, blisters,” she said. “We will be going along the old Dublin to Galway Road, through a lot of small towns, and friends are going to join me along the way for a day here a day there.

“Francie and I like walking by ourselves at our

own pace and then meeting up in the villages. There could possibly be a mile between us but we will hopefully be within shouting distance.

“We also hope to have a lot of craic along the way and fit in a few musical sessions at night.”

Patricia and Francie start their walk on August 14. Local people can support them by visiting www.justgiving.com/patricia-watterson, making a donation at the Cancer Research shop on St. Patrick’s Avenue, Downpatrick, or by telephoning 4461 2963.