Cork family are doing The Echo Women's Mini Marathon to give back to Mercy in memory of mum

No doubt the late Micheal Sheridan, CEO of the Mercy University Hospital Foundation, would be very proud of the Hoye clan, from Mitchelstown, who are taking part in The Echo Women’s Mini Marathon in aid of the charity he was so ionate about.

In his role, Micheal had helped raise millions for the hospital’s cancer services, making a huge impact on people everywhere.

Andrea Hoye’s mother, Anna Cremins, who availed of the wonderful care in the Mercy Hospital, was one of those people.

“We were chatting earlier this year, and we decided to do some additional fundraising for the Mercy Foundation as it is such a good cause,” says Andrea.

Anna, mother of two boys, Damien, Padraig and two girls, Michelle and Andrea, sadly ed away from oesophageal cancer on October 12, 2023.

“For mam’s funeral, in lieu of flowers, we asked for donations to Mercy University Hospital Foundation, and we raised over €500 at the time,” says Andrea.

It was a lovely gesture.

“Mam was well-liked and well known in the area,” says Andrea.

Team Hoye is stepping out on September 22 to fundraise again for the fantastic team at the Mercy Hospital that provide vital and essential services for cancer patients and their families.

“Me, my husband and my two kids, and my brother Padraig, his wife and his two girls, we are all taking part in The Echo Women’s Mini Marathon,” says Andrea.

We are looking forward to it.

Andrea lives two minutes from her mam’s house and she always loved popping in to her for a chat, a cuppa, and Anna’s lovely home-baking.

“I might read something in the paper, and I’d call to mam for the chat about it. We could have chats anytime.”

It must have been hard enough to find Anna indoors to sample her scrumptious crumbles and tarts?

Andrea laughs.

She was mad walking every day. She met her sister for walks. She went dancing a lot with dad. They loved the dance scene until Covid put a stop to it.

In November, 2020, Anna’s life changed.

“It started when mam had trouble swallowing,” says Andrea. “She went for tests and discovered that she had oesophageal cancer. It was a huge shock at such a bad time of the year, during Covid and not long before Christmas.”

Anna went through the gruelling medical treatments, radiotherapy, and then chemotherapy.

“The treatments left her weak and during her hospital stay she contracted a strain of sepsis, and she was given blood transfusions to perk her up,” says Andrea.

“That was to stand to her during her final treatments. When she came home from hospital, mam continued her treatment.”

Anna, a resilient lady, took her treatment for oesophageal cancer in her stride.

“She was quite ill, experiencing nausea and weakness. In between treatments she’d be OK,” says Andrea.

Mam was headstrong, and was adamant that she would get through it all.

Things were looking up for Anna.

“She had a lot of medical appointments that proved positive,” says Andrea.

But cancer can be an unpredictable disease.

“In July, 2023, mam wasn’t feeling great,” says Andrea. “She felt weaker, and she felt nauseous. She had no appetite.

“Mam felt so unwell she decided to get checked out again. She ended up being re-itted to the Mercy Hospital,” says Andrea.

“She went into St Camillus ward in August for additional treatment.”

Despite the wonderful care of the staff and carers at Mercy University Hospital given to Anna during her illness, the spectre of cancer won out.

“We did know that the recurrence of oesophageal was likely,” says Andrea.

When we discovered that the cancer came back, it was a huge blow yet again.

“Mam was looked after really well in the Mercy, so we decided to the foundation by doing the mini marathon this year.”

It is not Andrea’s first time to participate in the mini marathon.

"I did it when I was 16!” says Andrea, who is a walker like her mother was.

The Hoyes are looking forward to enjoying the day out in memory of Anna and in of the Mercy University Hospital where Anna was looked after so well.

“I’m sure doing the mini marathon together will create nice memories for us,” says Andrea.

HOW YOU CAN TAKE PART IN THE ECHO WOMEN’S MINI MARATHON 

Registration is open for The Echo Women’s Mini Marathon. Now in its 43rd year, the event is hosted by Cork Athletics. It raises about €1.5m for charities each year.

The 5km event will take place on September 22 at 1pm. The race starts on Kennedy Quay and finishes in Kennedy Park.

Keep an eye on the Mini Marathon Facebook page and website in the coming weeks for updates.

Participants can at /minimarathon 

Nourish are the training partner. Brenda Dennehy is the brand ambassador.