11 April 2022 – For Immediate Release
Make May your #IronMonth – A life-changing challenge with inclusivity at its core.
People of all abilities invited to dream big and complete a full triathlon over the month of May with the #IronMonth22 Challenge in association with An Saol, an Irish charity for survivors of severe Acquired Brain Injury.
With hundreds of participants and almost €23,000 raised in 2021, the highly anticipated Iron-Month Challenge is back for its second year running, and is now more inclusive and exciting than ever. This year, in addition to inviting participants of all abilities to complete a full Ironman triathlon over the month of May, An Saol have officially teamed up with Triathlon Ireland to kick-start the challenge with a TRYathlon event on May 1st at the prestigious Sports Ireland Campus in Dublin.
The launch event will mark the beginning of the IronMonth Challenge and see participants take on a 500m swim, 20km cycle, and 5km run/walk, followed by music, food and a festival atmosphere. Participants of all abilities are encouraged to sign up, with all proceeds raised going to An Saol, an Irish charity caring for survivors of severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI).
Participating in the month-long challenge involves completing a full Iron Man style triathlon (3.8km swim, 180km cycle, 42km run) at your own pace over the month of May. After signing up to the event on Eventbrite and joining the cause on gofundme.com/IronMonth, some participants may choose to complete this epic challenge in one day, while others will approach it step by step over the 4 weeks.
Reinhard Schäler, CEO of the An Saol Foundation, explains this unique aspect of the challenge and sheds more light on the cause underpinning the event – “The IronMonth serves to remind us that everyone has different abilities and capabilities in life. Some people may be able to complete the whole challenge in one day, others may take days or weeks. All efforts are equally valid and inspiring, with all of us working towards a common and profound goal together. The Iron-Month Challenge is the first event of its kind to promote physical activity for those who have long been left behind and forgotten, those with severe neurological injuries or conditions, especially those with a severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI). We hope this event can bring about a change of heart and mind in society, to help us recognise that everybody benefits from physical activity – no matter how independently you can pursue it.”
Participants are invited to sign up now on Eventbrite now for the challenge and to document their progress over the month of May on social media using #IronMonth22. Supporters can get involved by tracking our athletes progress and donating much needed funds for the An Saol Foundation on GoFundMe. All donations raised are ring-fenced and used to directly support brain injury survivors through the purchase of specialist equipment and the supply of additional services, beyond what is offered day to day. No money is spent on administration or salaries. Find out more about severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI) and the An Saol Foundation below.
About Severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI)
A brain injury that involves a long period of unconsciousness (coma) and a prolonged disorder of conscience (PDOC). Persons with an sABI are very highly dependent, are often non- or minimally-verbal, and require, in most cases, life-long support with basic activities of daily living (ADL) as well as life-long rehabilitation.
About the An Saol Foundation
The An Saol Foundation was established in 2014 by the family of Pádraig Schaler to provide adequate and ongoing support to people with a severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI). It now also offers neurological rehabilitation in the community. It is a registered charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee. The Foundation received its initial funding through a generous donation from the parents of Sara Walsh (RIP 2015) and has since received financial support from various fundraising activities, donations and funded projects. The Foundation operates from its headquarters in Dublin and delivers its services in Dublin and beyond. To achieve its goals, the Foundation promotes awareness about sABI and neurological rehabilitation, supports research, delivers neurological rehabilitation services, raises funds, and engages in related support activities. The Foundation runs the An Saol Project which is co-funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Social Media
Instagram: an_saol_foundation
Twitter: an_saol
Facebook: @AnSaolFoundation https://iron-month.com/
Virtual Visit to An Saol: https://bit.ly/AnSaol2022
An Saol on RTE and TG4: https://bit.ly/RTEandTG4
Contact
Andrew King (Iron-Month Fundraising Team): 0861797091 / andrewbking1@gmail.com
Reinhard Schaler (CEO, An Saol Foundation): 0876736414 / reinhard.schaler@ansaol.ie
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IronMonth 