Derry dad climbing Errigal for Altnagelvin Parents Support Group
'During Tiarnán’s stays in hospital, we realised how much this charity helps parents' - Darian Moore
Derry dad Darian Moore is taking on the highest mountain in Donegal this summer in a fundraising drive to in aid of the Altnagelvin Parents Support Group.
Darian will be heading up Errigal on Saturday - July 19 - with some friends and family and is also planning to participate in the Waterside Half Marathon on September 7, 2025.
Altnagelvin Parents Support Group helps parents who have children who spend time in Altnagelvin Children’s wards - parents who live locally and have children who are medically monitored throughout their lives.
Recognising hospital stays can be a stressful, lonely and difficult time for patients and their parents, the group is a forum where experiences can be shred and support provided.
Darian, whose son, Tiarnán, has a life limited condition and attends Ward 16 in Altnagelvin for different medical procedures, raised £1,200 for Altnagelvin Parents Support Group, which he described as an “amazing charity”, through last year’s Waterside Half Marathon. He is hoping to better that amount this year.
Tiarnán was born at just 25 weeks weighing 1.2lb. He has a terminal illness called pulmonary hypertension - a condition of increased blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.
“He is just a typical four-year-old boy who is always up to mischief and running mad, but a lot of the time he would require oxygen treatment and requires it at night time when sleeping,” said Darian.
“During Tiarnán’s stays in hospital, we realised how much this charity helps parents. They have been there for myself and my partner Chloe as we had regular stays in the ward with Tiarnán,” he added.
“We have seen at first hand the amazing work they do, from children getting toys when attending appointments, to parents getting a bed to sleep on if the child is admitted, to toiletries for parents, and the events they put on throughout the year.
“In addition, at the end of each year, they hold an amazing Christmas event for the children and families.
“None of this could be done without donations and that is why I am once more raising money for Altnagelvin Parents Support Group. They are so thankful and appreciate every donations,” said Darian, who is also hoping to do a couple more fundraisers for the charity, which recently did a ‘Teddy Bears Hospital’ event so children could bring their teddies to Altnagelvin and do routine check ups.
“This was a way of taking away or reducing the fear children have of attending hospital,” said Darian.
Online donations to this “wonderful” charity can be made on the GoFundMe page: Altnagelvin parents support group fundraiser clicking HERE.