Family raise thousands in honour of late son’s b’day

AN Augher family have raised almost £14,000 for charity in honour of their son Michael who died before his tenth birthday.

Nine-year-old Michael Deery from Augher died on August 17, 2019 after losing his battle with Leukaemia. Michael would have been ten on February 28, and his family decided to raise money to honour their young son’s birthday.

The Deerys set up the ‘10 for 10’ fundraiser for CLIC Sergant and asked people to donate £10 for Michael’s tenth birthday.

Michael’s parents, Cathy and Colm explained that Michael was diagnosed with Leukaemia in April 2018. He underwent two intensive rounds of chemotherapy in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

The fundraiser has raised almost £14,000 for CLIC Sargent which will go towards providing ‘an invaluable’ service to families in need of its support.

Cathy and Colm have been overwhelmed with the generosity of local people, and said, “CLIC Sargent provided accommodation for our family in Paul’s House Belfast. Michael spent three months in the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and our family stayed in CLIC Sargent accommodation here also, Sam’s House. During this terrible time CLIC Sargent helped keep our family together, which was invaluable.”

His parents recall Michael as a ‘beautiful and precious’ young boy.

“Michael was a very gentle and caring young boy. He loved nature and was intrigued by its wonder. Michael had many great friends. This combined with his thirst for knowledge is why he loved going to school so much. He enjoyed playing many games with his friends but his favourite game was Pokemon Go. His little brother and sister can’t understand why this happened. We are all absolutely heartbroken and will miss him forever. Our lives will never be the same.”

Clic Sargent fund-raising engagement officer Gareth McElduff said, “The money raised by the Deery Family in memory of Michael on his tenth birthday will be go towards helping some of the 300+ local NI young people, children and their families we support every year who are facing a cancer diagnosis.”

In addition to the fund-raising, Michael’s father Colm organised for ten of his work colleagues to sign up to become platelet donors at

Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) in Belfast’s City Hospital. Colm has been donating platelets for many years but during the course of Michael’s illness, he became acutely aware of just how crucial blood and platelet transfusions are to people with Leukaemia and other serious medical conditions.

The Deerys are keen to encourage anyone who is able to donate, to do so.

• Further details are available at www.nibts.org or to donate to their fundraiser, visit www.facebook.com/donate/221028582409837/10159406510158712/ or contact Gareth McElduff on 07920 108 507 or gareth.mcelduff@clicsargent.org.