Newbridge, County Kildare man running in Dublin Marathon to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research

A Newbridge man will run the upcoming Dublin Marathon 2024 in order to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research.

Gary Quinn, who now lives in County Dublin but who grew up in Newbridge, will be undertaking the challenge on October 27, 2024, in memory of ‘two incredible people’: the late Fran Perez and the late Tony Mackie.

He explained in the online fundraiser’s description: “Fran, my Spanish brother, always had a smile on his face.

“Fran was always upbeat, constantly joking and laughing, and truly cherished every joy life had to offer; Fran always supported me like an older brother, providing unwavering encouragement. He had a passion for sports.

“I know that Fran will be with me every step of the marathon.”

Gary continued: “Tony Mackie, my brother-in-law’s Dad, was a man of great character and strength; I had the pleasure of getting to know and spend time with Tony while living in Australia.

“Tony had a love for sports and always had a fun/interesting story to tell about his New Zealand teams.

“Tony also generously shared his New Zealand / Maori culture with me, telling me the best places to visit and what to see and do while traveling there.

“Running this marathon in memory of both Tony and Fran means the world to me: I know that both men will help, encourage and motivate me to achieve my goal.

“Tony’s remarkable character and love for his culture, and Fran’s support and zest for life, have both left a lasting impact on me.”

Gary added: “As I run, I carry them with me, honouring their memories and celebrating the incredible legacies they have left behind.”

He also said that brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just one per cent of the UK national spend on cancer research has been allocated to the disease.

As a result, this has motivated Gary to raise funds for Brain Tumour Research — according to Gary, ‘they are the only UK national charity dedicated to funding long-term, sustainable research.’

“Please help me fund the fight… together, we will find a cure,” Gary concluded.

When asked by the Leinster Leader about how he has been preparing for the marathon, Gary replied: “I signed up to a training plan with a coach as I had never ran a distance over a half marathon distance, and also to learn how to pace myself on runs too, as I was never very good at the pacing!

“The program involves three to four runs a week.”

As for how he came into contact with Brain Tumour Research, Gary explained to the Leader: “When applying for a spot for the marathon, the option to run for a charity was available, and because people close to me were affected by the disease, I wanted to run the marathon in memory of Fran and Tony.”

As of time of publication, the fundraiser, which is currently live on JustGiving, has reached £635 (€752.39) of its £1,000 (€1,185.09) goal.

The fundraiser can be accessed here.