THE parents of a young Derry man who died from cancer the day before his 19th birthday have been honoured for 15 years of charity fundraising.
Paddy and Theresa Logue have raised more than £100,000 for CLIC Sargent in memory of their only son Gerard.
The couple, from Londonderry, were devastated when Gerard (below) passed away in 2004, but grateful for the help they received from Clic Sargent, the children’s cancer charity.
This year the family had another reason to be thankful to the charity, which provided support while their six-year-old granddaughter Bella went though treatment for cancer.
Mr Logue said his family see the money they have raised as a legacy to their son, which they intend to continue.
He added: “Our son Gerard was diagnosed with a rare cancer of the muscles when he was around 17, and 16 months after that we lost him.
“It was tough and is still tough, but it is like everything else – you either sink or swim.
“Through it all, Clic Sargent were brilliant, so on the Sunday before the May Day bank holiday, which is around his anniversary, we held the first walk in his memory.
Gerard Logue who died at 19 from cancer
“They were on hand and couldn’t have done any more to help us.”
Mr Logue said it has been good for his family to be able to fundraise over the past 15 years.
He added: “We continued the year after and then the year after that, and now it has just become an annual event.
“We still have around 200 people every year and now we have the sons and daughters of the people who first took part who are walking with us now.
“My youngest daughter was only around five or six when we started, but now she and all her friends, and all their friends, are walking and it is great to see and it makes us so proud.
Mayor Micheal Boyle hosts reception for family of Gerard Logue in the Guildhall
Mr and Mrs Logue’s efforts were recognised by Derry and Strabane mayor Michaela Boyle, who held a civic reception for the family in the Guildhall.
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