We are thrilled to share with you the story of a truly inspirational woman, Cecilia Sage. A local Louth mother, Cecilia courageously embarked on a strenuous 50-kilometre challenge and successfully raised an incredible €18,719 (at the time of publication) for the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation.
On the 27th of May, amidst the cheer of her family, friends, and neighbours at the Kilkerley Emmets GAA club, she showed us all what determination and spirit truly look like.
Cecilia’s motivation for this significant endeavour lies at home with her beautiful six-year-old daughter, Sarah, who is living with ZTTK Syndrome, a rare brain abnormality. Sarah is one of less than 100 children globally with this condition and requires 24/7 care. Despite these challenges, Sarah’s vibrant spirit shines bright, revealing her sociable nature and love for being around family and friends.
Sarah and her family have received tremendous support from Jack and Jill, which spurred Cecilia and her husband Peter, the vice chairman of Louth GAA, to fundraise for the charity, demonstrating their true essence of community spirit. Their ambition to raise funds and awareness for the foundation demonstrates the true essence of community spirit.
Our very own CEO, Carmel Doyle, alongside local liaison nurse manager Anne Reilly, had the honour of witnessing Cecilia’s grit and determination at the starting line saying, “We are profoundly honoured by the relentless efforts of Cecilia, Peter, Sarah, and James. Their generosity will help us to continue supporting the 400 families under our care nationwide, including 6 in county Louth and 11 in county Meath.” Their generosity will help us to continue supporting the 400 families under our care nationwide, including 6 in county Louth and 11 in county Meath.”
Cecilia’s unwavering determination on that sunny Saturday allowed her to complete the daunting 50k challenge, all while maintaining her radiant smile. “To each individual who donated to Cecilia’s 50k Challenge for Jack and Jill, we extend our heartfelt thanks. Your support has secured an impressive 1,039 hours of home nursing care and in-home respite, providing families with the support that Sarah received for up to 6 years. Such support translates to an invaluable gift of time and peace of mind,” Carmel added.
Cecilia’s devoted husband, Peter, didn’t hold back his pride. “This event was possible due to many, including the Kilkerley Emmets, Yvonne Quigley, Clive at Kelleher Insurance, Karl at Player Fit, The Brew Café and Caoimh, Taste Smash, Beir Bua Bakes and the Sean O’Mahoney’s Kilkerley ladies. Of course, each individual who donated and joined us on the day also played an instrumental role. But, I must express how incredibly proud I am of Cecilia, my wife and hero, who has shown the courage and compassion of an army,” Peter warmly remarked.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to the Sage family and the entire Kilkerley community, whose deep sense of community and spirit of giving has set an inspiring example for us all.
This event underscored that we are stronger together, and it’s the generosity of families like the Sages that keeps us moving forward. We salute their spirit, their heart, and their extraordinary commitment to making a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Thank you, Cecilia and Peter, for being our champions and shining examples of love, resilience, and compassion.
