Charlie Bird says he has actually been “blessed” with assistance for his charity work because he was identified with motor nerve cell illness, explaining it as “an incredible silver lining” from his terminal disease.
The seasoned reporter commemorated the 1 year anniversary of the Climb with Charlie fundraising occasion on Saturday with a 5km walk at the Papal Cross in Dublin’s Phoenix Park.
Bird was identified with motor nerve cell illness in 2021, and in 2015, the previous RTÉ broadcaster climbed up Croagh Patrick to raise money for Pieta House and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA). Walks and climbs up happened throughout Ireland and led to over €3.6 million being raised for the charities.
At the Phoenix Park occasion, Bird attended to the charity agents, supporters, and pals as he asked individuals around the nation to light a candle light to reveal assistance for everybody with a terminal disease, for those battling psychological health disease and for the numerous others who are close to his heart.
“What I wanted to do to mark the anniversary is very simple. I want to continue to extend the hand of friendship to people,” he said.
He likewise thanked President Michael D Higgins for his assistance, and for lighting a candle light in Áras an Uachtaráin in assistance of Climb with Charlie.
“Yes, my diagnosis of a terminal illness was very traumatic for me and my family, but the truth is that there has been an incredible silver lining as well. I have got to know the crucial work of many groups of charities,” Bird included.
“I keep repeating this, as long as I have a breath in my body, I am going to keep extending the hand of friendship. I have been blessed by the amount of support I have received from all over the country and abroad, and I want to thank those people by continuing to work hard for everyone.”
Master of events for the occasion was designer and tv speaker Dermot Bannon, who mentioned how fortunate he felt to be pals with Bird and his partner Claire Mould.
“Charlie chose to climb with people and to put in an effort, and stand beside it. The most important word in the whole Climb with Charlie was the word ‘with’, because he was and we were all with each other and together. It was an amazing experience last year and I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life and I am so thankful to be part of it,” Bannon said.
“Charlie, you are an incredible inspiration, not just for the amount of money, not just for the amount of work, but just getting us to reach out to each other and be kind to each other and to show acts of kindness and to think of each other.”
Bird likewise lit 5 candle lights prior to the walk. One remained in memory of Vicky Phelan, who was a buddy of his prior to she passed away in November of cervical cancer. The others were lit for everybody with a terminal disease, for anybody in a dark location, for frontline employees, and for individuals of Ukraine.
Stephanie Manahan, ceo of Pieta called Bird a “real national treasure.
“It’s really important for us to recognise that event this time last year, but, and more than that, to thank Charlie for the magnificent endeavours in raising really much needed funds for critical work that is carried out, life saving work that is carried out every day,” Ms Manahan said.
To honour Bird for the money that he raised in 2015, Pieta House devoted a treatment room in their brand-new place in Swords to him, calling it the Charlie Bird Therapy Room.
Director of nursing and services at the IMNDA Naomi Fitzgibbon described the “monumental day” that happened in 2015.
“I remember reading about it and listening to it and going, ‘What kind of impact is this going to have? It’s going to be incredible.’ It did so many things, it raised awareness for people with motor neuron disease and how they are living with it and the supports that they need,” Ms Fitzgibbon said.
“What we have been able to do with the funds that Charlie has raised is just incredible, it’s kind of nearly like the dream that we wanted, which is we now have a sixth nurse who is now able to provide that support, that care, that attention, that information for people and their families, and anybody who’s living with MND.”
Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces Seán Clancy likewise spoke at the occasion, and said that it has actually been a “privilege” to understand Charlie and “to be on this journey with him”.
Other charities and organisations which participated in the 5km walk consisted of the Samaritans, friends and family of Vicky Phelan, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Dogs Trust, frontline employees, Stardust households, Irish Wheelchair Association, and members of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood.
