Egypt based athlete to undertake 24-hr walk for Pieta House
Dave McGowan, a Mullingar native and record holding freediving athlete and adventurer who is currently based in Egypt, is planning to walk 100km in 24-hours for Pieta House.
Dave will undertake the walk on January 29th, the day of his birthday, and is hoping to raise €1,000 for the charity.
“My goal is to walk 100km and my hopes are to raise €1000, which will help provide much needed support for many who are struggling with mental health issues during this difficult time,” Dave tells the Westmeath Examiner.
“Now, more than ever I want to highlight the importance of getting outside and staying active to not only keep a healthy body but also a healthy mind,” he explains.
“I have been inspired by some other Irish people who promote positive mental health; Ultra Marathoner - Conor O'Keefe, Big Wave Surfer - Al Mennie, Musician and fellow Mullingar Man - Bressie, Satirist, Musician, Podcaster, and Author - Blindboy.
“I wish to stand up and join these guys as an advocate of positive mental health and show how my active and outdoor lifestyle helps me with that.”
Lucky
“Here in Egypt we have been very lucky in terms of restrictions in the face of this Covid crisis and so I have chosen to do this challenge within a small area where I am currently based in solidarity with many people elsewhere, in Ireland and beyond, who are mostly confined to their homes and their immediate surroundings,” he continues.
Dave is asking people back home in Mullingar to like, share, invite and comment on this event on social media with friends and colleagues.
And, if you are able to do so, he asks that everyone please consider donating to this cause, as “even the smallest amount will make a huge difference”.
“Many charities are struggling at the moment with a huge decline in events used to fundraise and have also seen a massive reduction in charitable donations.
“Mental Health Charities like Pieta House are now more important than ever with complex issues arising from the Covid crisis. “Isolation, social distancing, altered pathways to access care, PTSD within frontline staff, and complex issues with grief surrounding bereavement mean that we need to make sure essential services like these remain accessible to those who need them,” he explains.
David has set up a page online at JustGiving.com called ‘McGoo’s Big Backyard Birthday Ultra’ where people can donate.
To find out more about the event, go to https://fb.me/e/1VghMfkeF, and donate go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/davemacgoo