Lisburn.com

 

Exiles Forum

Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

Soldiers in war zone join fight to 'fix Sam'

Members of the Royal Irish Regiment battle the 45 degree heat in Afghanistan to take part in a fund raising exercise bike cycle in aid of `pleasefixsam'. They cycled the distance between their Afghanistan base and their barracks in Ballymena.

Members of the Royal Irish Regiment battle the 45 degree heat in Afghanistan to take part in a fund raising exercise bike cycle in aid of `pleasefixsam'. They cycled the distance between their Afghanistan base and their barracks in Ballymena.

SOLDIERS serving in war torn Afghanistan have joined the battle against muscular dystrophy after learning of the fundraising efforts of a Hillsborough couple whose toddler son has just been diagnosed with the invariably fatal condition which affects only boys.

Despite being in constant dangers themselves, members of the Second Royal Irish Regiment were moved to help after reading about the plight of little Sam McCausland in newspapers sent to them in 'morale parcels' by their families.

Some of the soldiers during their sponsored cycle.
Some of the soldiers during their sponsored cycle. Sam McCausland aged 18 months, with brother Callum 15), parents Tracy and William McCausland and grandparents Sam and Patricia Letters.

The big hearted troops went to the website www.pleasefixsam.com, set up by the little boy's parents Tracy and William, and sent an e-mail telling the couple they wanted to help raise both funds and awareness of the disease. Despite the high temperatures in the volatile region which are currently topping 45 degrees fahrenheit the soldiers 'got on their (exercise) bikes' and raised money by cycling the number of miles between their base in Afghanistan and their barracks in Ballymena. They are also donating all the money raised from their weekly haircuts to the appeal. Tracy and William said no words could express how grateful they were for the soldier's efforts. They also urged Internet surfers to visit the website which now features all fundraising activities planned for the year ahead and explained how people could help the campaign to find a successful treatment for muscular dystrophy.

"We are encouraging everyone to get involved. People can help with something as simple as telling five others about the site and our campaign," said Tracy.

On Sunday they couple will join a number of other people taking part in a sponsored 'parachute jump for Sam. "This will involve leaping out of an aeroplane at an altitude of 13,000 feet," added the young mother who will take Sam to London next week to participate in a parliamentary lobby organised by Action Duchenne, a charity which deals specifically with the Duchenne form of Muscular Dystrophy.

Other families from Northern Ireland will join the mother and son for the lobby after getting in touch with the McCauslands as a result of press coverage over the past weeks. Tracy said members of the public could help with the lobby by writing to their MP's. She explained www.pleasefixsam.com now features a form for this as well as a link giving people the name of their MP.

"It will take only two minutes of your time and the cost of a stamp," she added. "Unfortunately this terrible disease is touching more lives and threatening the futures of more little boys. It is imperative we persuade the government to allocate more funds to research, and that we continue the struggle against Muscular Dystrophy."

Ulster Star
13/06/2008