Article on Echo Live
July 20, 2020
Six-year-old Cork boy cycles 3k a day to raise Autism funds
Breda Graham
A SIX-year-old Cork boy has taken on the challenge of cycling 3km each day for the duration of 33 days to raise funds for various autism centres.
Harry O’Hanlon was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and has just completed three years of early intervention with Shine Centre for Autism and Sonas Special Primary Junior School before attending Scoil Naomh Eltin primary school in September. He has also relied on the support of The Rainbow Club in helping develop and providing key intervention needs.
Now, with the help of his parents Martina and Ricky and his cycling partner and sister Chloe, he wants to give back to those who helped him and who the family say they are “massively indebted to”.
On Tuesday, July 7 Harry set out on his first 3km cycle with the aim of completing a total of 100km in 33 days to raise funds for the three worthy causes that have been impacted by Covid-19.
On what was day 13 of 33 on Sunday, Harry had completed a total of 63.18km and had already taken on many different routes across Kinsale, Carrigaline, Cork city and county.
He was provided with an escort by his old bus driver Paddy who operates the Sonas bus service and who has been “a big part of Harry’s routine for the past two years”.
Community gardaí have also escorted Harry through their areas and communities, local businesses and amenities have got onboard in helping Harry along the way.
His family said that a trip to the fire station on route to Doc Beach on day six made his dreams come true and Harry got to do “all the things he has dreamed of doing” including wearing the fire hat, sitting in the truck, turning on the siren and using the hose.
A Go Fund Me page entitled Help for Harry’s Heroes has been set up and over €19,000 has already been raised with Harry hoping to raise as much money as possible for the three worthy causes over the next 20 days.