'When things get tough we'll think of Dympna and Ozzie': Northern Ireland family take on nine marathons in nine days for children’s cancer charity
Pearce Kelly, who runs 12 Mid Ulster convenience stores, will be joined by his wife Oonagh and daughter Ellen as they take on 235 mile challenge alongside Irish rugby legend Rory Best
A Northern Ireland retailer and his family are preparing to take on the equivalent of nine marathons in nine days in a major fundraising challenge for Cancer Fund for Children.
Pearce Kelly, who co-owns and operates 12 convenience stores across Mid Ulster, will take part in Rory’s Miles to Mayo Challenge from September 12 to 20 with his wife Oonagh and daughter Ellen.
The challenge will see Irish rugby legend Rory Best lead a team of business leaders, including the Kelly family, on a walking challenge covering the equivalent of 235 miles around Ireland over nine days.
The latest fundraising effort comes after Kelly’s stores raised more than £300,000 for Cancer Fund for Children, with the family saying their local community continues to inspire their support for the charity.
As a final fundraising push before the challenge begins, Kelly’s stores will host a series of coffee mornings on Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5, with customers invited to enjoy refreshments in return for donations.
A further celebration coffee morning will take place at Kelly’s EUROSPAR in Maghera on Saturday, September 26, following the family’s return from the challenge.
The charity supports children, young people and their families through cancer, from diagnosis and treatment and beyond.
Pearce Kelly said his commitment to the charity was inspired by the loss of a local three-year-old girl, Dympna Cassidy, who died from leukaemia in 2011.
He explained: “I had the opportunity to speak on behalf of the 102 EUROSPAR and ViVOXTRA supermarkets in Northern Ireland at a celebration event at Cancer Fund for Children, where we were marking £2,000,000 raised by the stores since 2011, and 15 years of the partnership.
“I commented that every single retailer has their reasons to go above and beyond for this incredible charity, and ours is because our community lost a beautiful little 3-year-old girl in Dympna Cassidy 15 years ago.
“Dympna was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away in 2011, a 3-year-old girl who truly left her mark. Dympna lived in Slaughtneil, only a couple of miles from home. I knew her parents. I saw the devastation that losing a child brings to a family and to an entire community. At the time I was a father raising a young family myself and it hit me deeply. We all wanted to do something practical, and so we created several events for Cancer Fund for Children in Dympna’s name.”
Pearce has also drawn inspiration from another local teenager Ozzie Rogers from Knockloughrim, who died from cancer in 2020.
He added: “During previous fundraising for the charity I had the privilege of meeting a young man named Ozzie Rogers from Knockloughrim, who sadly lost his battle with cancer in 2020, at just 17 years old. When things get tough during the challenge I will think of Ozzie’s courage and that will drive me on.”
More than £93,000 has already been raised through Kelly's JustGiving fundraising page, however Pearce is calling on his local communities to get behind his latest challenge once again.
"I cannot thank both the individuals and businesses enough for their generosity and kindness," he added.
"I'm hoping to raise as much money as I can for this challenge. It means the charity can do so much more to ensure children and young people, and their families, do not have to face cancer alone."
The fundraising coffee mornings will take place across Kelly's stores in Maghera, Castledawson, Toome, Magherafelt, Moneymore and Cookstown.
The participating stores include Kellys SPAR Fresh in Maghera, Kellys ViVO XTRA and SPAR in Castledawson, Kellys SPAR in Toome, Kellys SPAR on Rainey Street and Ballyronan Road in Magherafelt, JC Stewarts in Magherafelt, Kellys SPAR in Moneymore, Kellys EUROSPAR in Moneymore and Kellys SPAR in Cookstown.
The final celebration event will be held at Kellys EUROSPAR in Maghera on September 26 from 10am to 4pm.
Donations to Pearce Kelly's challenge can be made through his JustGiving fundraising page.