Australian brothers are taking to the skies to help the charity that supported their mother
brothers are taking to the skies: Two brothers from Co Londonderry have spoken of taking to the skies on the other side of the world to raise money for a charity that supports their mum.
Sean O’Kane, 25, and his brother Egan, 24, have raised almost £9,000 for the Marie Curie charity on the 20th anniversary of their mother Martina’s death.
The brothers were young children when their mother died of cancer on November 20, 2003, at the age of 37.
They were nursed at home by the Marie Curie charity.
Eoghan, an electrician, moved to Sydney with his girlfriend in June, where Sean, an actuary, joined him to raise funds.
“It was exciting to make the skydive and it was really exciting because we’d never done it before,” Sean says.
“It was also very emotional for us right before and after the jump, just thinking about Mummy, doing it in her memory.
“Mummy’s 20th is a very special anniversary for us as a family because my sister Naomh is expecting our family’s first grandchild and we know how happy she would have been.
He has missed many milestones in our family so to be able to do this and raise money for Marie Curie who took such good care of him is really something.
“We remember and give thanks as a family on Mummy’s anniversary, as we have done every year for as long as I can remember,” Egan said.
We keep his memory alive for all of us by gathering with family and friends on his anniversary and on special family occasions.”
Their mother’s aunt and sister, Sandra Kelly, from Belfast, said their mother would be proud of all four of her children.
“When Sean and Eghan told me they were going skydiving, I thought it was very brave,” he said.
I am proud to be their aunt and glad they did the skydiving. After 20 years, Martina will be the proudest mother in the world among her four children.
The family raised just over £70,000 for Marie Curie from a celebratory dance to mark the first anniversary of Martina’s death and also raised more than £7,000 for Marie Curie to mark the 10th anniversary.
The charity recently launched its Christmas appeal, ‘Care, Comfort, and Joy’.
Details on donating can be found at www.mariecurie.org.uk.
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