Posted on: 23 October 2015
Minister Leo Varadkar, patron of Med Day 2015, and award winning chef and Target Lung Cancer ambassador at St James’s Foudnation, Neven Maguire launched Trinity Med Day 2015 on Wednesday, 21st October.
Trinity Med Day, which takes place on Friday November 6th this year, is an annual student-led fundraising event run by Trinity medical students to raise funds for projects in Trinity-affiliated hospitals.
This year’s beneficiaries chosen by the students are Target Lung Cancer in St. James’s Hospital, Arthritis Diagnosis, and fund for a family room in the Acute Medical Unit of Tallaght Hospital and services at the National Rehabilitation Hospital.
“The committee and I are hugely passionate about Med Day as we are making a tangible difference to the hospitals we train in, “ commented Eimear Duff, Chairperson, Trinity Med Day 2015. “As medical students, patients are our teachers and raising funds for these hospitals is our way to say thank you. We work very closely with our beneficiaries to ensure that all funds raised go directly to causes that will make a real and lasting difference. We are delighted to have Minister Leo Varadkar as our patron for Med Day 2015, along with Neven Maguire as the Target Lunch Cancer Ambassador from the St. James’s Foundation. Together we hope to create a ‘recipe for health’ for Ireland!”
Since 2002, the Trinity School of Medicine has designated one day a year for students raise money to fund worthy causes in Trinity-affiliated hospitals with over €500,000 has been raised for equipment, services and research.
From 7am on Friday, 6th November, 600 Trinity medical students in 'Med Day' t-shirts will hit the streets of Dublin to collect public donations for their selected charities. Along with this there will be a number of fundraising activities running throughout the day including sponsored swims, busking, raffles, and bake sales will also supplement this collection drive to date.
“I am very happy to be an Ambassador with St. James Hospital for its Target Lung Cancer appeal,” said Target Lunch Cancer Ambassador, St. James’s Foundation and Award Winning Chef, Neven Maguire. “This is a cause very close to my heart. We lost our mum, Vera, to lung cancer three years ago and I am very keen to support such a great campaign that raises funds for lung cancer research and patient care.”
Further details on the have chosen four Trinity Med Day 2015 beneficiaries:
Lung Cancer Research
Med Day is supporting the development of a lung cancer biobank at St James’s Hospital. This database of tumour specimens will be used by national and international researchers to study lung cancer and develop future treatments.
Arthritis – Tallaght Hospital
Med Day will help Tallaght Hospital acquire an ultrasound machine that allows faster diagnosis of arthritis, sparing patients from a year-long wait for an MRI scan.
Cough Assistant Machine – National Rehabilitation Hospital
Med Day is helping the National Rehabilitation Hospital purchase a cough assistant machine to reduce patients’ risk of developing chest infections.
Acute Medical Unit Assessment Unit Family Room – Tallaght Hospital
The Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU) at Tallaght Hospital will have a family room created to offer peace and quiet for patients family members, particularly when difficult topics need to be discussed with them. Bereavement support training will also be provided.
Trinity Med Day also supports the Trinity Access Programme
Med Day will continue to support Trinity’s plan to encourage young adults, adults and ethnic minority students who come from socio-economic groups under-represented in higher education, to go to university.
