The Mizen Head to Malin Head four-day cycle challenge to fund a new breast cancer treatment system starts at 4 p.m. today at Mizen Head and arrives at Malin Head on Friday afternoon. The 16 amateur cyclists, some of whom are well-known sports personalities, are covering their own costs and hope to raise over £70,000. The National Breast Cancer Research Institute, UCG, will use the funds raised to install a revolutionary new treatment and detection system called Advanced Breast Biopsy Instrumentation (ABBI). Anyone wishing to make a donation may do so by lodging to: Bank of Ireland, Mainguard Street, Galway, a/c 13913984.
Today Ciaran Gearty will begin a long, non-alcoholic pub crawl by visiting each of the 12,000 licensed bars in the country to collect the price of a pint from publicans without taking a drink himself. Ciaran's target is £35,000 for the Irish-based charity, Health Action Overseas while aiming to be included in The Guinness Book of Records for the longest pub crawl in the world. The money collected over the summer will be used by the charity to improve the lives of children in Romanian orphanages. Further information from Rebecca Burrell, tel: 016761771 and Health Action Overseas, tel: 01-8733173.
ARC (After-Care, Research, Counselling) Cancer Support Centre is open to people with cancer, their family members and friends who may find it difficult to deal with the emotions and issues which arise when cancer is first diagnosed. Services include open door drop-in, supervised support groups, relaxation and visualisation sessions, yoga, massage, one-to-one counselling sessions and a library service, and a lovely new facility: a garden. Volunteers have worked over the last three years with the Irish Garden Plant Society to transform the narrow city centre plot into a tranquil oasis. ARC is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 65 Eccles Street, Dublin 7. Tel: 01-8307333. All services are free of charge.
Primary Billiary Cirrhosis (PBS) is a progressive liver disease which, as yet, has no known cause or cure. The PBS support group is holding an information evening and talk by Dr John Crowe next Monday, June 8th, in the Conference Room, Mater Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin at 8 p.m. Admission 3.