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One of the highlights of last week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival was a charity ball hosted by the retailer on Friday night at the K Club.
It was a fantastic evening for a fantastic cause – Irish Autism Association – at which all of us were reminded just how lucky we are compared to others.
Autism is a widespread (affecting something like two children in every 1,000 worldwide) developmental disorder that generally appears in the first three years of life. It affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills.
The retailer’s Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin was singled out by the association for his long-standing support of the charity, a commitment underlined by a donation of €20,000 (announced by President George Horan, pictured below).
A whole lot more money was raised on the evening, largely thanks to an impassioned speech by Keith Duffy (pictured below chatting with me), a member of the renowned pop group Boyzone and patron of Irish Autism Action.
Keith’s daughter Mia (12) has autism, and his speech on the impact of the condition on his child and him and wife Lisa as parents was one of the best and most moving I have heard at any charity occasion.
As parents they waited five years for their daughter to find voice. In March 2005, just after her fifth birthday, she did. Not through speech but through song, suddenly bounding into the lounge and belting out the song ‘Tomorrow’ from the musical Annie. It was, he recollected to a hushed audience, an amazing, emotional moment, and the very retelling of the story sends a tingle down my spine as I write.
I also met Gary Keating, brother of Boyzone lead singer Ronan Keating, who told me all about the Marie Keating Foundation, a foundation that raises awareness for breast cancer. It is named after their mother, who died of the disease in 1998.
In turn I told him about The Moodie Report Foundation, which I set up recently to help fund cancer research (and other cancer concerns) around the world. I’m hopeful that it’s one of those chance meetings that will lead to great things.
To support these two great causes please visit:
and
[Belle of the ball: Keith Duffy with Colm McLoughlin’s granddaughter Erin]
[Keith Duffy with Breeda and Colm McLoughlin]
[Martin Moodie with two of the hard-working Dubai Duty Free team, Elisa Yana (left) and Jasmin Micoyco]
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