Get your steps in for a very worthy cause this Friday night

Boots Ireland has teamed up with TV presenter and broadcaster, Darren Kennedy, to launch this year’s Boots Night Walk in aid of the Irish Cancer Society Night Nursing service. 

Providing end-of-life care for people living with cancer in Ireland, the night nursing service offers up to 10 nights of free care to those who avail of it. Funded almost entirely by donations, Boots Ireland has been supporting the case since 2012 – raising a seriously impressive €2.5million for the service so far and helping to provide 7,200 nights of care to those who most need it. 

Making a long-awaited return to in-person events, organisers hope that this year’s night walk will be on of their biggest fundraising drives to date and are calling on people to show their support by signing up to walk 5km together this autumn. The actual event itself will take place tomorrow night at Dublin’s Phoenix Park, however, you can also take part from afar by pledging to complete your own 5km walk at a location of your choosing. 

Alongside the walk, Honour Tags are also now on sale in Boots stores nationwide for €2. Designed as means to remember all those who have survived or passed away from cancer, each one can be personalised with a name and special message on the bag. One metre will be walked in honour of that person by members of the Boots Ireland team. 

All funds raised from the Boots Night Walk will go towards the Irish Cancer Society Night Nursing service which provides end-of-life care for cancer patients, allowing them to spend their final days at home surrounded by family and loved ones, as well as giving much-needed respite to their family caring for them.

Speaking ahead of the event, Darren Kennedy said that he is “so delighted” to be a part of this worthy initiative. “The Irish Cancer Society night nurses provide an incredible service to those who need it at one of the most distressing times in their lives. The support and kindness they provide is unparalleled and I applaud them for continuing to provide this immensely important service. The Boots Night Walk is essential in raising funds and awareness for this service as it is free of charge and relies on donations.”

Echoing much the same sentiments, night nurse Mary Twohill added, “The support we feel and receive at the Boots Night Walk each year is always so strong. Our job is to care for patients towards the end of their cancer journeys and give comfort to their friends and families, we wouldn’t be able to do this without the funds raised by Boots Ireland and the Irish Cancer Society.”

The Boots Night Walk for the Irish Cancer Society Night Nurses happens this Friday at 7pm in Phoenix Park. All money raised from the event will go toward funding the night nurse service and helping them continue their great work across Ireland. 

People can show their support by signing up and fundraising, making a donation via the Boots Night Walk website, or by purchasing an Honour Tag in any Boots store nationwide. The sign-up fee costs €15 for the in-person and virtual walk and includes a complimentary t-shirt.