The John Durkan Leukaemia Trust has been set up to fund pioneering research at the new John Durkan Institute of Molecular Medicine at St James's Hospital, Dublin. The trust was set up in January after John Durkan (32), the well-known and respected horse jockey and trainer, lost his long battle with leukaemia. The trust's target is £2 million to build the research centre which will provide a forum for scientists and doctors to work together and will facilitate bringing medicine from the laboratory to the bedside.
Two bank accounts have been set up for donations: AIB Stillorgan, a/c 35417098, sort 93 35 70 and Bank of Ireland Montrose, a/c 27848853, sort 90 13 51. A number of fundraising activities are already underway including the Tracy Piggott Galway Bay Underwater Challenge on July 28th when Piggott will swim six nautical miles underwater from Finavarra Point, Co Clare to Blackrock, Salthill, Galway.
On August 7th the John Durkan Leukaemia Trust Golf Classic will take place at Druids Glen, Co Wicklow. Other planned fund-raising activities include a day at Ascot and golf outings to the UK. John Durkan recommended that J.P. McManus buy Istabraq as a star of the future so it is fitting that there will be be 950 prints of Istabraq by Peter Curling available shortly at £150 each to raise funds. All prints will be personally signed by the winning Irish connections: J.P. McManus, Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Swan. Peter Curling will also sign and number each one.
For further information on any of the above contact Tom McCormack, director of communications, John Durkan Leukaemia Trust, tel: 01-2303009 or 086-2454215 or Geraldine Herbert, PR Consultant, St James's Hospital, tel: 01-4532291 or 086-8180542.
The Irish ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) support group is holding a lecture on Wednesday in the Mount Herbert Hotel, Herbert Road, Dublin 4 at 8 p.m. Dr Patrick Magovern, who has worked extensively in the UK, USA and Canada and is a specialist in ME and related fatigue syndromes, will give a recovery-oriented lecture entitled "ME - Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome". For further details on the lecture or on any matter concerning ME/ CFS contact the support group at PO Box 3075, Dublin 2. Tel: 01-2350965. Admission free.
"Taming the Sleeping Giant" is the title of a one-day Hepatitis C workshop on Saturday in Jury's Hotel, Custom's House Quay, Dublin 1. John Tindall, a Chinese medicine specialist, physiotherapist and manager of the NHS Gateway Clinic in London, will conduct the workshop which will focus on enabling participants to deal with Hepatitis C, as both client and practitioner. He will also be available for individual consultations on Sunday by appointment. For further information and bookings contact Pauline Beegan, tel: 01-8335888l. The day costs £65 including lunch and refreshments.