Longford woman undertaking 100km per month challenge to assist 'sweetest brother Conor'

The big-hearted sister of a county Longford man who has Cerebral Palsy is walking and running 100km per month to raise money to support him.

Conor Harkin (26), from Carrickboy, was born with the lifelong neurological disorder that affects movement, muscle tone and posture.

Eva explained when Conor fell ill with sepsis in recent months it brought home how vulnerable he is to illness and she decided to launch the fundraiser in late-September.

The Film and Digital Media graduate who studied at University of Galway has already received more than €12,600 of a €20,000 target in donations.

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"When Conor fell ill that really shook us to the core and we really realised how short life is and Conor is surviving and not living his life," she added.

Eva is hopeful she can match and surpass the €20,000 target.

"I decided to take it upon myself to do this for him because he does so much for us and he brings a smile to our faces everyday," she said. "He's the sweetest human you would ever meet and he makes such an impact on everyone so I just thought I would do this for him."

Eva stated Conor never asks for anything and he was in hospital for one month but he was ill for 10 weeks.
"Sepsis is a very serious condition for anyone to deal with and especially Conor who is vulnerable," she said. "He's still recovering and he's very tired but he is in a lot better form now."

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Eva said as Conor gets older, the need for specialised care, equipment and resources to support his independence and well-being becomes even more important.

"That is what this is all about, to bring in more specialised care for him because obviously it's very expensive and you don't always get that much support from people sometimes like the HSE," she said. "They can only do so much I suppose."
On the 'Support Conor: Improving His Quality of Life with CP' gofundme page message Eva also appealed for support and the reasons why the fundraiser had been set up.

"I am reaching out to ask for your support in helping my amazing brother, Conor, who was born with Cerebral Palsy.

Throughout his life, Conor has faced countless challenges, amongst them being diagnosed with epilepsy and scoliosis, yet he continues to inspire everyone around him with his strength, resilience and incredible spirit," she said. "Over time, Cerebral Palsy can cause gradual deterioration, making daily activities more challenging as the body weakens."

Eva said Conor has faced these challenges head-on with incredible strength and perseverance which inspires her and parents Síona and Paul everyday.

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"Conor has missed out on many experiences due to his condition that most of us take for granted.

Eva said her family and friends have all agreed to walk and run with her and she is targeting completing 100km per month and 300km in total between October and December.

"These donations will go directly toward providing the resources Conor needs, including specialised transport, adaptive equipment, and modifications to his living space that will allow him to live more comfortably and independently," she concluded.

If anyone would like to make a donation log on to: https://www.gofundme. com/f/support-conor- improving-his-quality- of-life-with-cerebral-p