WATCH Jerry Twomey cycles the coast of Ireland to honour his father and raise funds for Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association

Jerry Twomey cycles the coast of Ireland to honour his father and raise funds for Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association

Limerick Man, Jerry Twomey, is undertaking a cycle along the coast of Ireland to honour his late father, John, while raising funds for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association

Jerry Twomey is currently cycling around the coast of Ireland to raise Motor Neurone Disease (MND) awareness and to raise funds for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA), a cause close to his heart.

Jerry is carrying out the fundraising cycle in honour of his late father, John Twomey, originally from Tramore, County Waterford, who passed away following an eight-year battle with MND.

Jerry remembers his father’s courageous fight, telling i Love Limerick, “ In 2010, my dad, John Twomey, passed away of Motor Neurone Disease after an eight-year fight. It was a long, arduous fight, but he managed to do that fight with the biggest smile on his face somehow.”

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Jerry’s latest challenge is a cycle approximately 3,500 kilometres, and follows fundraisers he has carried out over the past years including a five kilometre swim, a run from his father’s native Tramore to Raheen, and he has undertaken a 10km run in all 32 counties, raising almost €60,000 which helped fund around six mobility hoists for families affected by MND.

Jerry said, “ I’m doing this now to this day from 15 years later, for three reasons. Number one is to raise awareness of MND and what people who have it and their families and loved ones are going through. And number two is to raise funds for the IMNDA.”

He continued, “And to remember, my dad is number three and the valiant fight he put up against MND, he was just incredible.”

Speaking about the disease, Jerry said, “ It brings a lot of awfulness. It’s essentially a progressive neurological disorder, in that it attacks the nerve cells. When the nerve cells are attacked, they fall away, and then the muscles start to waste away because they don’t know what they’re for anymore.

“So it’s essentially the awfulness that can be described in one single sentence, and that is that your body slowly wastes away while your mind stays perfectly intact. So there’s a lot of cruelty to it. They don’t know what causes it. They have no cure. So one of the biggest and worst things that comes with a diagnosis is that there’s no hope.”

Jerry’s passion is aided by his personal loss and his desire to help other people going through a similar situation. Jerry explained following his father’s diagnosis, John, at 6 ft 3 inches and 17 stone, began to lose more and more motor skills as the disease progressed. Jerry said, “We went from never knowing that we would need a hoist, to overnight, that we need a hoist and we need it now. So we asked how much a hoist was, and a hoist was €10,000.”

Jerry phoned the IMNDA, who explained their funds were so limited they were unable to help, so they began to research how they could get a hoist, when some days later, “ the association rang us back and said that somebody somewhere had done some fundraising and the hoist was on its way.”

Jerry explains this is why he wants to help raise funds for the IMNDA, he said, “So it’s just that fast. It was here straight away. Somebody had done it, and they remembered us and then sent the hoist. So that shows you how immeasurably good the IMNDA are, how enormous the work that they do is, how much they care and how much they’re willing to do for you.”

Jerry’s current challenge, called Coasting for MND, is being documented on social media, including Instagram, Facebook, and now TikTok — thanks to his son, Sean. So far, Jerry has completed more than 678 km of his cycling route after logging more than 4,500 km in training this year.

IMNDA is the only organisation of its kind in the country providing specialised services to families affected by this terminal condition.

The Association cannot slow the progression of MND or change the outcome, but they can alleviate the feelings of isolation and frustration. IMNDA offers consistent support to approximately 470 families across Ireland who otherwise would have nowhere else to turn. The services provided by the IMNDA are immediate and free of charge for everyone registered with the Association.

Speaking about the family support for those living with MND, Jerry said, “ I met lots of MND victims and their families, and the one thing you see is that you get the diagnosis and you realise there’s no hope and there’s no cure, and it’s so hard for your soul to be given a diagnosis that comes with a zero hope.

“That in fact drives families together. The families just come out of the woodwork, and they say, ‘Right, what needs to be done,’ They roll up their sleeves and the person who’s diagnosed is just pretty much immersed in love.”

You can support Jerry’s fundraiser on iDonate and by following his journey on social media by searching “Coasting for MND.”