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laying a new foundation - Greenock telegraph - 22 April 2010
Press release by Russell Steele
A CHARITY launched by a local businessman five years ago is marking its milestone moment by establishing a new youth spin-off.
The Senit Foundation was set up in 2005 by Gerry Deeney, with the mission of helping and supporting individuals in the local community, with an emphasis on health care. Founder Gerry was inspired to create the charity as a way of repaying the treatment he had received from health professionals while fighting illness — and since its inception it has raised in the region of £50,000 for a whole host of good causes.
But Mr Deeney believes he has spotted a new area where it can grow — and has brought in a fresh organiser to develop the foundation’s work with young people in Inverclyde.
Gerry said: “When I was recently in hospital again, I noticed the amount of young people who were in having chemotherapy.
“I started thinking about what we could do to bring all the young people together in the area to help one another — and that’s where the idea of us having a new youth section comes in.”
Gerry has asked local man John McGovern to co-ordinate the new youth section — and John has wasted no time in making his mark, raising almost £500 for the charity’s coffers at the Scottish Grand National meeting in Ayr last week.
Gerry said: “That was a great way for John to start his time with the foundation. Our first event was on 1 April 2005 so we are celebrating our fifth birthday.
“But without forgetting what has already been achieved, in the future wewant to make the main thrust attracting all aspects of youth in Inverclyde to come forward and get involved in our work.
“We want to bring together the healthy and those unfortunate to be suffering any illness.
“They can then focus on driving the foundation forward, with everyone contributing their thoughts and ideas on how to raise funds and awareness.
“The secret will be working together and becoming aware of what contribution they can make, no matter how small.”
In its fifive years so far, the Senit Foundation has purchased tate-of-the- art equipment for numerous wards at Inverclyde Royal Hospital.
Through successful events, such as Sportsman’s Dinners, it has delivered hi-tech items for units including the eye clinic, ENT ward, oncology and haematology departments, plus the Larkfifield Unit and accident and emergency.
The charity has also donated to the Beatson Unit, Breast Cancer Scotland, the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service, Ardgowan Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Support.
But Gerry pinpoints one particular project as a highlight — the Cameron Lindsay Family Room at IRH.
The fantastic facility was named after a brave local youngster who passed away in 2005 following a battle with a rare heart condition, and today the room is used by the families of seriously-ill patients.
Now, with the foundation set to involve a new generation in its work, it looks as if there will be many more good causes to benefit in the years to come.
Gerry is keen to pay tribute to everyone who has helped the Senit Foundation become such a success story over the past five years but would like to issue a big thanks to Gerry McDade, Alasdair Hendry and Brian Clements for giving their time and backing.
Charity is helping to pay for an Italian job
AS well as backing good health care causes locally, the Senit Foundation is also funding cutting- edge medical research at international level.
Through links with Paul Ames, the consultant who treated founder Gerry Deeney when he was unwell, the foundation is supporting pioneering work into serious medical problems.
The Senit Foundation has contributed funding towards two published medical journal articles on rheumatology and a sister organisation to Senit — the Antiphopholipid Foundation — has been established by Dr Ames in Italy.
Representatives from the Senit Foundation have been invited out to Italy for the official launch of its Italian counterpart later this year.