Gowan Distributors, Peugeot Importer in Ireland, has teamed up with Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) and Bikers Ride out for Prems, as official car partner to the Miles for Smiles taking place from today to Sunday 5 September, writes Trish Whelan.
Since the launch in February, the event has seen 20 bikers and supporters raise over €55,000 in funds which will go towards both the building of a room at the new RMHC House at the site of the new National Children’s Hospital, Dublin 8, and to buy medical equipment for Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in hospitals around Ireland.
Over the 4-day venture, the group will cover in excess of 1,500km around Ireland visiting hospitals and delivering life-saving and life-maintaining medical equipment bought with the proceeds to NICUs.Participants in the Ride Out will have the honour of naming a room at the new Ronald McDonald House which in Ireland provides support and care to families who have seriously or terminally ill children in Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin. Since opening in 2004, the House has supported and cared for over 3,900 families in this home-away-from-home type environment.
Marion Carroll, CEO (Volunteer) at RMHC, said: “I can’t speak highly enough of the Bikers Ride Out for Prems group; like us, they are exceptionally motivated and passionate about their cause and I’m really excited to work with them on the first Miles for Smiles event.”
Since its inception in 2014, the Bikers Ride Out for Prems have fundraised over €200,000 to buy equipment for NICUs around Ireland.
Sean Brennan, representing the Bikers Ride Out for Prems said: “Our main goal ongoing, is to raise funds to buy and deliver very necessary equipment into neonatal intensive care units in Ireland where budgets have reached their limits. We also source and donate breast pumps which can be used by parents of premature babies. This eases the stress and strain on families and enables them focus on feeding their premature infant life-saving breast milk, as their intestinal systems cannot tolerate artificial feeding.”
Supported by Gowan Distributors, Keating Construction & Ruth Scott, Radio DJ & TV Presenter, the journey starts and ends at The Ronald McDonald House, Dublin 12. The route will take in visits to hospitals in Dublin, Louth, Cavan, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny and Laois.
