Marie Keating Foundation asks women to run or walk 10km event to aid its fight against cancer

Dublin, 26 February 2015: The Marie Keating Foundation has told women that “This time, it’s personal” as it calls on them to join Team Marie Keating for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon in celebration of someone they know who has battled cancer. TV presenter Glenda Gilson, celebrity fitness trainer Siobhan Byrne, Senator Averil Power and cancer survivor Yvonne Joye came together to launch Team Marie Keating ahead of the Mini Marathon, which takes place in Dublin on Monday, 1 June 2015. After registering for the Mini Marathon, women can join Team Marie Keating by making a once-off donation of €25 to the Foundation or by requesting a sponsorship pack. Each participant will be sent a Marie Keating t-shirt, a race sticker to let supporters know who they are running in celebration of and an invitation to complementary pre and post Mini-Marathon events for Team Marie Keating members at House nightclub in Dublin 2. For more information, please see www.mariekeating.ie/events/vhi-ladies-mini-marathon/.

Team Marie Keating is proudly supported by Glenisk, who have kindly raised funds for the Foundation for the past three years. To help its team members prepare for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon, the Marie Keating Foundation has come together with Body Byrne Fitness, Ireland’s exclusive personal trainers, to produce a week-by-week training plan that is available on the Marie Keating Foundation website. Also available are weekly nutrition tips, menu examples and recipes to help ensure that women training for the Mini Marathon fuel their bodies before training and promote recovery afterwards.

Cancer survivor Yvonne Joye and Senator Averil Power at the launch of Team Marie Keating for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.

Speaking at the launch, Linda Keating, Director of Fundraising, the Marie Keating Foundation, said, “Cancer affects one in three Irish people so almost all of us know someone who has been touched by it. Running or walking for Team Marie Keating in the Mini Marathon is a great way to celebrate or honour someone you know who has been affected, while keeping yourself healthy, a key part of cancer prevention. Please get involved and support this great cause.”

Also speaking at the launch was TV presenter Glenda Gilson, who said, “I am running in the Women’s Mini Marathon as part of Team Marie Keating in celebration of women all over Ireland who are currently going through cancer treatment. We all need to do something to support our mums, sisters, friends and neighbours who are fighting this terrible disease so this is a great way to show them we care, support cancer services and at the same time keep fit. I hope lots of women will join me. I have run, jogged and walked this event lots of times in the past and I have always loved it.”

Mairghead Lynch from Glenisk alongside fitness trainer Siobhan Byrne, cancer survivor Yvonne Joye and Senator Averil Power at the launch of Team Marie Keating for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.

Emma Walls, Glenisk, also commented, “Glenisk is delighted to be supporting Team Marie Keating for the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon. The Foundation’s work encourages each of us to make positive changes in our own lives to promote health and wellbeing and help reduce our risk of developing cancer. It also helps people who are already on their cancer journey. Team Marie Keating is all about having fun, being healthy and celebrating people you love so make it personal, sign up in the name of someone you love and make this your year to walk or run the Women’s Mini Marathon.”