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An extremely popular and brave Roscrea family is currently organising a Fundraising Day in memory of their Dad and, in doing so, they aim highlight the problem of depression and let people know that they are not alone if they are suffering from their terrible illness. The Cunningham family, who have established the Martin Cunningham Trust Fund, will stage a Rugby Fundraising Day on Sunday next, July 18th, at Roscrea Rugby Club and they are inviting the entire community to attend. Funds raised will go to AWARE, the support group for people suffering from depression and anxiety disorders, and the family says that if they can save one life or lessen the suffering on even one person it will be a fitting tribute to their Dad, Martin. The event will be full of fun and entertainment with plenty of activities for all the family. Fundraising is going extremely well and the Cunningham family are very grateful to all those that have supported the initiative to date. Main sponsors of the event are Roscrea Credit Union who are delighted to be involved in such a worthwhile cause. The Credit Union would like to acknowledge the tremendous endeavors of the Cunningham family particularly the co-ordinator of the event, Sarah Cunningham. The Credit Union believes that, anything which fosters good community spirit while at the same time helping raise funds for such worthwhile causes as depression and mental health is welcomed and should be encouraged.
A great family day of fun and activities is planned for Sunday next the 18th of July at Roscrea Rugby Club. The event will be co-ordinated by the Cunningham family as part of the “Martin Cunningham Memorial Trust”. Funds raised will be donated to “Aware” to help people suffering from depression and mental illness. Pictured at the launch of the event earlier this week, were Co-ordinator of the event, Sarah Cunningham, together with her family, friends, supporters, and Ena MacMahon, Dymphna Breen and Brian King, representing Main Sponsors of the event, Roscrea Credit Union.
Martin Cunningham took his own life on June 2nd 2006 at the young age of just 49 years. He left behind his devoted wife Bridie, his son Damien and daughters Aisling, Sarah and Martina.
A happy-go-luck man by nature, Martin would go out of his way to help other people. But on May 2nd of that year, just one short month earlier, Martin began suffering a brief and acute bout of depression. He attended his GP, unaware of what what wrong with him, and was referred to the mental health services in Clonmel. There he was officially diagnosed with depression and prescribed anti-depressants and sleeping tablets.
Over the next few days it appeared as though Martin was coming back to himself, but, his family says, the aftercare service he received let him down badly. “The aftercare service in Ireland is a disgrace and I'm sure my Dad felt very alone” says his daughter Sarah. “He received a ten minute consultation where they did not discuss anything with him but just proceeded to take him off the sleeping tablets” she says. Less than a month later Martin was dead.
The Cunningham family is naturally very angry and disillusioned. “The HSE has a lot to answer for”, says Sarah. She adds “we are so ahead on certain issues in Ireland such as cancer research, but when it comes to mental illness people are still afraid. Because you cant actually see depression, the stigma that has surrounded it for years still remains. How many people need to take their own lives before the HSE start taking this problem seriously? As the recession has hit more and more people are suffering from depression and they feel that they are alone. It has to be highlighted to them and their families that they are not alone. Depression hit our family and many others in our town and also in the surrounding towns and there are many more affected by bi-polar disorder, manic depression, sever anxiety and other mental health issues. This is an extremely serious problem”
Sarah and her family hope to take every opportunity to highlight the problem of depression so that other families will not suffer the devastation that they suffered when Martin took his life. They hope that as many people as possible will attend their Rugby Fundraising Day next Sunday and other events that may take place in the future in aid of the Martin Cunningham Trust Fund.
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