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A LOCAL couple has expressed their heartfelt thanks to the community after a charity static cycle they organised at the Tyrone GAA Centre in Garvaghey raised nearly £60,000 in memory of their baby daughter, Ava, who passed away at just six-days-old.
Natasha Haughey and her husband Gareth said they have been left speechless by the incredible support from the local community, which saw over 230 riders take part in the event on Saturday.
The cycle, along with their GoFundMe page, has so far raised nearly £60,000 and the amount continues to grow. All monies raised will go to the Craigavon Neonatal Unit and the Little Forget Me Nots Trust.
The fundraiser was held in memory of Gareth and Natasha’s baby daughter, Ava, who passed away on January 2 at the Craigavon Neonatal Unit following a seizure.
Speaking to the Ulster Herald, Natasha said she and her husband have been deeply moved by the support they have received.
“We never thought we would raise this amount of money. At best, we expected somewhere in the region of five to ten thousand, but we never imagined we would raise nearly £60,000,” Natasha said.
“We are truly so appreciative of everyone who gave up their weekend to come down and cycle. There were 230 cyclists, and my husband Gareth completed all nine hours. We were also joined by the entire Tyrone GAA team, and at one point we had 13 bikes going simultaneously, all sponsored.
“I want to extend a few special thanks, especially to our local club Errigal Ciaran, my club Killeeshil, Gareth’s club Drumragh, and Tyrone GAA for allowing us to use the training centre. I also want to thank the bike sponsors, the food vendors who provided free meals throughout the day, and MFC for the free jerseys.”
Natasha added, “It is really important to us to show our son James that, despite being heartbroken, we can be resilient. We are so lucky to have such amazing family, friends, and a support system around us. Although we are full of sadness that Ava isn’t here, we can channel that grief into something positive.”
Donations can still be made online by searching ‘Cycle for Ava Haughey GoFundMe’.
