A Co Galway man begins a non-stop overnight walk to Dublin today to raise funds for Temple Street Children’s Hospital where his four year old daughter has been treated for a rare metabolic disorder.
Ken Campbell from Ballinasloe will walk overnight tonight (Saturday), accompanied at stages by friends and supporters. He departs at 9am this morning from St Michael’s Square, Ballinasloe, and will walk along the old N 6 road. The route will take in Athlone, Moate, Kinnegad, Enfield, Maynooth, Leixlip and Lucan. The walk is expected to take him 26 hours and he hopes to arrive at Temple Street Childrens Hospital in Dublin at 11am tomorrow (Sunday).
Ken’s daughter Emma (4) suffers from a very rare metabolic disorder called Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (ssadhd) which can cause a variety of neurological problems.
Ken said: “I have dubbed this “Miles for Emma.” I would love if parents and young people would join with me along the route for a few miles. I intend walking all through tonight and into tomorrow morning by torchlight so that I can reach Temple Street on Sunday morning. The route is about 100 miles.”
“People can join in and leave as they see fit anywhere along the route. I will be joined by able bodied friends and those with special needs for the last stretch on Sunday morning from the Ashling Hotel at 10am near the Phoenix Park to Temple Street.”
“I’m organising this event to promote equality and awareness for children with Special needs and to highlight the non-existence of services available and also to emphasize that in my view Children with Special needs are treated like second class citizens in this country. This journey is symbolic of the struggle all parents with children with Special needs face.”
“The Civil Defence will be on duty with support vehicles for the full journey and they will also have their highly trained civil defence units on duty to provide medical cover during the walk. I am very grateful for their help and those who have volunteered to walk with me,” Ken added.
Further information is available at: www.facebook.com/milesforemma
Donations to www.idonate.ie/mileforemma
Ken Campbell is available on 087-7654200