Two Irish sisters are carrying a photo of their father who died from cancer to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro beginning this Father’s Day.
The photo depicts Conor O’Duffy atop the African mountain’s summit nine months before he died from oesophageal cancer 20 years ago.
Jennifer and Sarah O’Duffy are retracing their father’s footsteps spending the next seven days climbing the mountain while raising money in aid of the charity Oesophageal Cancer Fund.
“The photo is of him at the summit with the glaciers in the back,” Jennifer O’Duffy explained.
“We are going to take it with us, and hopefully, capture a great photo of us with it too,” she added.
Sarah O’Duffy, who was four when her father died, says it will feel like they are making the journey with him.
“Looking back at his amazing achievement, of climbing the mountain while he was sick with oesophageal cancer,” Sarah O’Duffy explained.
“That motivated us hugely to set out on this journey with each other while raising awareness and funds for the cancer that took him at such a young age and took him away from his young family.
“I think being so young when he passed away, my memories come through photos. I think it’s really special retracing some of his last footsteps on Earth beginning Father’s Day.
“It’s almost like maybe we are on the trip together,” she added.
Conor O’Duffy was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer when he was 40 years old.
Following surgery and treatment, his wife Orla O’Duffy remembers he decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with his brother and nephew.
“It was on his bucket list to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro,” Orla O’Duffy said.
“I honestly don’t know how he did it – it was pure grit and determination. Unfortunately, he was very unwell when he came back to Ireland so we went to his doctor.
“He had a scan and it showed the cancer had spread to his spine. Sadly, he died nine months later when he was 42 and Jennifer was seven and Sarah was four,” Orla added.
According to the charity Oesophageal Cancer Fund, Ireland has one of the highest rates of oesophageal cancer in Europe with over 500 people diagnosed each year.
The cancer is more common amongst men than amongst women by a ratio of three to one.
The O’Duffy sisters have raised almost €30,000 for the charity through their fundraising page on the iDonate website.
In response to the fundraiser, Carmel Doyle, CEO of the Oesophageal Cancer Fund said:
“We are so proud to know them and to have them in our corner, bringing the good fight to this bad cancer”.
Jennifer and Sarah O’Duffy are expected to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro on Saturday 22 June.
“I know and I’m aware that it’s going to be very challenging,” Jennifer O’Duffy said. “And there will be times where it will be really tough.
“But knowing that he was able to get through that while also, realistically, in pain, I think that will push us through”.
