Fundraising pair reach new heights

Carryduff man Mark Hanna and Ballinderry lady Anne Hannan prepare to lead a local team of first-time climbers on a fundraising trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro this June. Along with a series of other fundraising activities, they hope to help raise in excess of £100,000 for Marie Curie to fund over 5000 nursing hours to support terminally ill patients in Northern Ireland.
Photo: William Cherry Press Eye — Carryduff man Mark Hanna and Ballinderry lady Anne Hannan prepare to lead a local team of first-time climbers on a fundraising trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro this June. Along with a series of other fundraising activities, they hope to help raise in excess of £100,000 for Marie Curie to fund over 5000 nursing hours to support terminally ill patients in Northern Ireland. Photo: William Cherry Press Eye

At 5,895m above sea level, Mt Kilimanjaro is the highest freestanding mountain in the world and almost seven times the height of our very own Slieve Donard – so reaching the top will be no mean feat, but the team are doing so for a cause close to many of our hearts – to fund the great work carried out by Marie Curie nurses across Northern Ireland.

Along with organising “The Time Ball” in November on behalf of Marie Curie, they are hoping that their activities will help to raise in excess of £100K which will fund more than 5,000 Marie Curie nursing hours for terminally ill patients across Northern Ireland.

It was a personal experience of the Marie Curie Hospice which inspired Carryduff businessman and director of local construction company, Mascott, Mark Hanna, to actively become involved with the charity and volunteer on the Development Board.

Mark explained: “A few years back my father-in-law sadly suffered from terminal cancer. It was a very difficult time for us all but to see how the dedication and work of Marie Curie gave him such dignity before he passed away was very moving and I knew then that I had to do all I could to support this wonderful charity and help them to raise awareness and funds for their services.”

To date, Mark has helped to raise more than £135K as part of the Malone Fundraising Group. This has involved running in a number of marathons, including New York and Belfast, helping to develop and organise the biennial Gala Ball ‘The Time Ball’ and most recently, in 2012, he faced his toughest challenge by trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp.

Mark added: “I celebrated my 40th Birthday on Mount Everest which was a momentous achievement and one birthday I will never forget. It was tough going but knowing that my effort had helped to fund many hours of Marie Curie nursing for other families was inspiring as I personally know how invaluable their service is.

“Our Kilimanjaro trip will be building on this achievement as the summit is 600m higher than Everest Base Camp and so I am sure it will be even more gruelling. As our ascent will go through five different ecological zones ranging from grassy bushland and rainforest to arctic conditions at the peak, this will truly be a test for the body and the mind! However, what will help us through is the fact that we will be able to bring a little taste of home with us - Tayto crisps! Tayto has been a fantastic support for Marie Curie and this year has pledged to donate 5p from every packet of share and Care range crisps sold to the charity. They have also promised to supply us with a backpack full of crisps for Kilimanjaro so I know the carbs will be much appreciated throughout our ascent!”

Ballinderry local, Anne Hannan, is joining Mark to lead the trip in June. Anne has worked for Marie Curie for more than 10 years but feels that it is important that she goes that extra mile to raise money and awareness for the charity.

She said: “I have taken part in a number of fundraising challenges to date but this will definitely be the most extreme! I am the Marie Curie representative for the trip so it will be my responsibility to motivate and keep the team going, as well as trying to overcome the physical difficulties and possible altitude sickness myself. I see first-hand the dedicated and fantastic work carried out by the nurses both in the hospice and throughout the homes of terminally ill patients across the province, so that understanding will help to drive me and the team to the top.

“On behalf of Marie Curie, I would like to take the opportunity to thank our supporters. Without the help of our local companies, our volunteers and fundraisers, Marie Curie would not be able to provide the service that they do so we are very grateful.”

Mark added: “Once we return from Kilimanjaro our next major event will be The Time Ball which is due to take place at Titanic Belfast on 9 November 2013. It promises to be a great night with fantastic prizes on offer, including the chance to win the use of an Audi A1 for One Year. Tickets are going fast so we would urge anyone interested to snap them up before they’re gone by visiting www.thetimeball.com.”

Mark will also be running the Belfast Marathon in preparation for the trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro. For more information and to support the pair in their fundraising activities, please visit www.justgiving.com/Mark-Hanna where donations will go directly to Marie Curie Northern Ireland. Alternatively, if you would like to take part in a Marie Curie overseas challenge which includes trekking the Grand Canyon, the Sahara, Mount Kilimanjaro and more, please visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/events2013 or call 0845 052 4184.