Longford man who ran Dublin Marathon for late father raises thousands of euro

A county Longford man who recently completed the Dublin Marathon in memory of his late father, a kidney patient, has raised thousands of euro for the charitable voluntary organisation.

Kevin Kilbride from Moydow, ran the big race on October 26 to honour his late dad Joseph and he generously donated all proceeds to the Irish Kidney Association (IKA).

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He said Joseph suffered kidney failure from an auto-immune disease and he had a kidney transplant in 2011 after a couple of years on kidney dialysis.

Kevin said, "Organ Donation completely transforms the life of a patient and their family" as he praised the service.

"Sadly, my dad passed away in 2024 from prostate cancer but thanks to his very successful transplant in 2011 he was able to enjoy many more years of life that he most certainly wouldn't have had without it.

"We are grateful for those years and I am running the Dublin Marathon in his memory and to raise vital funds for the Irish Kidney Association.”

Kevin launched an Eventmaster fundraising page recently to support the IKA with a target of €1,500, which was quickly surpassed and more than €2,000 had been collected by Monday evening.

Kevin said the IKA were a great support to his dad, providing information about services that were available and arranging dialysis in alternative locations during holidays.

Kevin said the IKA work incredibly hard to highlight and promote organ donation in Ireland and he added, from experience, that their slogan of 'Give the gift of life' is not just a slogan, and organ donation 'completely transforms' the life of a patient and their family.

More than 50 of the 22,500 runners who braved the cold, rain, and blustery winds, too2k part in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon on October 26 supporting the IKA.

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The Irish Kidney Association said they extended their heartfelt gratitude to Kevin and the participants who raised vital funds to help the association continue providing essential services and support to kidney patients and their families.

The IKA said, from elite athletes to first-time runners, kidney recipients, and their loved ones, each participant shares a unique story of connection, courage, and compassion.

"Together, they highlight the critical importance of organ donation and the ongoing work of the Irish Kidney Association in supporting patients and promoting organ donor awareness across the country."