A brilliant day of support from the Drimnagh community gathered together recently in a fundraiser for leukaemia sufferer, four-year-old Josh Kelly at the Brickfields all weather pitch.
The Josh Kelly fun festival at the Brickfields brought out the best of local football talent as they weighed in with their support to help Josh add vital funds to the fundraiser for bone marrow.
The event combined football, with local clubs Galty Celtic, Mourne Celtic and St.John Bosco participating in a mini-football tournament. There were plenty of other games and music to keep the large gathering entertained.
Josh’s Dad Jake said “On behalf of himself and his partner Suzanne McKeever that we were blown away by the support we have had from the local community and businesses. It’s been nothing short of remarkable and Drimnagh people are the best in the world helping us raise these much needed funds”.
The three charities to benefit from Josh’s Fun Day are Aobhinn’s Pink Tie, Oscars Kids and The Bone Marrow for Leukaemia Trust.
UFC star Conor McGregor
Josh celebrated his fourth birthday on August the 30th and has proved a real battler in the biggest fight of his life, but he has also got the biggest UFC star Conor McGregor in his corner. Generous McGregor has donated to the initiative while Josh’s father Jake along with an army of fundraisers have collected more funds.
Jake added “I’m also so grateful to Conor McGregor for his massive support. He reached out to us and has been so generous. We’d have grown up together back in the day but he hasn’t forgotten and it’s a measure of the great person he really is, and it’s just typical of how caring and supportive he is behind his public image that he made contact wanting to support and contribute to the fundraiser and help our son Josh.”
Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin
Josh’s parents are forever indebted to the staff of Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin and in particular to those of the St. John’s Ward , where he said “The staff are special people and are amazing with how they go about their duties and are simply brilliant with the kids”.
Josh has had many hospitalisations in his short life and lots of chemo sessions but he is battling his condition.
Other Supporters
Jake Kelly is indebted to all who have made donations through the iDonate platform and other generous donators such as O’Neills Sports on Walkinstown Avenue who donated match balls and products for the day, and the organisers are really grateful for their support while Seoda Trophies, in Ballyfermot, donated a cup for the soccer tournament and Lee Brothers donated medals for the Fun Day games.
Josh’s Dad, Jake, a Drimnagh born native who played for Galty, Mourne, and Bosco said “My expertise is in warehouse logistics and spreadsheet management. The place I was with gave me some time off when Josh was initially taken ill but eventually, unfortunately, they let me go. I’ll wait until Josh completes his treatment and I’ll then start looking for a job and hopefully, I’ll be able to pick one up”.
