Pictures: Domnick Walsh
When Dan O’Donoghue turned 65 he decided he would prefer to jump out of an airplane than collect his free travel pass
He opted to do so to raise funds for Kerry Mental Health Association and to show his grandsons that nothing is impossible.
The fundraising parachute jump from 13,000 feet will take place in Edenderry, Co Offaly on Saturday April 27 with the aim of raising over €2,500 for Kerry Mental Health Association.
Dan, originally from Valentia Island and now living in Tralee, made the charitable leap year proposal to do a parachute jump to help fund the cost of rolling out free and affordable mental health first aid training in Kerry.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the initial help given to someone who is developing a mental health problem, experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem or a mental health crisis. The first aid is given until appropriate professional support is received or until the crisis resolves.
It costs €2,500 to train one MHFA instructor with additional costs required to secure the licence to deliver courses.
Dan O’Donoghue, a leading trainer in Ireland in the field of business development and referral strategies, remarked: “The one thing that really gets to me is young people, especially young people, who are full of anxiety. They are worried about so many things and it shouldn’t be like that”.
He said he has a great relationship with his three grandsons Feidhlim (7), Lochlan (4) and Donagh (2) and they would love to see him leap out of an airplane.
“I’d love to show them and their friends that you can do anything you want without worrying about it,” Dan said.
To donate to Dan’s fundraising effort go to www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/breakinggrandad.
Kerry Mental Health Association, meanwhile, wants to hear from community or not-for-profit organisations in the county to compile a schedule of mental health first aid courses over the coming months.
General Manager, John Drummey, said: “Fair play to Dan for taking the leap. The money he raises will make a huge difference to so many people in Kerry.
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