Charimans Report January 2025

The 33rd running of the “Have the Conversation – Say YES to Organ Donation” Punchestown Charity Race took place on Saturday 4th May 2024. The weather stayed dry and people stayed on in their thousands to cheer on all our Jockeys and this managed to create a wonderful atmosphere both before and after the race in the Parade Ring, providing a fitting finale to the Festival. Glen Norris delivered the Henry de Bromhead trained Sompteux with the perfect run to win from Joan Tyner on board the Robert Tyner trained Big Debates with Garry Cribbin on board Omniscient from Gordon Elliot’s yard back in third place. There really was an amazing atmosphere for this special race and most importantly all our Jockeys completed safely and enjoyed the privilege of riding at the Punchestown National Hunt Festival. Sara Jane Tracy, Kidney recipient was an inspiring participant.

2024 was quite simply, another phenomenal year for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund. Our race day jockeys and all our different supporters managed to raise €103,748 this year, which is a yet another new record for the past 33 years of the Charity Race. This means that the cumulative total raised to date is €1,900,583 which is absolutely incredible.

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During the past 2 years we managed to support the following projects:

• We sponsored and helped the IKA establish a Pilot Peer Support program for all Kidney patients in Ireland.  This program offers vital supports to patients and their families who are dealing with all the various issues and concerns that is all part of being a Dialysis or Transplant patient.
• We established the James Tracy/PKRF/Kidney Beam Exercise program for all Dialysis & Transplant patients, which will enable all patients to access free, online, live and on demand exercise classes, specifically tailored to all different levels of fitness and specifically for Kidney patients.
• We continued our research into Polycystic Kidney Disease in partnership with the Irish Nephrology Society under the guidance of the Irish Research Council.
• We continued our support for our "Stateman" Art Therapy programs for Dialysis Patients in Tallaght, Waterford & Wexford Dialysis Units
• We continued to support Sports Programs for Dialysis & Transplant Patients.
• Organised a trip to Lourdes for one Dialysis patient and a carer.
• We sponsored a new “Kidney App” for Kidney patients in association with Dr Donal Sexton at St.James Hospital.

So many people deserve huge thanks for making the Charity Race such an unbelievable success.  The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund enjoys the privilege of being permitted to run our Charity Race during the Irish National Hunt Racing Festival at Punchestown Racecourse.  Great credit is due to all the Team at Punchestown Racecourse who make our race day so special, as well as all the staff at The Turf Club who so generously volunteer their services on the day and also the staff at H.R.I. & R.A.C.E. who ensure our Race is run correctly.

We are very grateful to all the Owners and the Trainers who have given continued support to our Race, every year, for the past 33 years. We would like to acknowledge the various forms of media, whose coverage of our Race in whatever way, is hugely important both to our Charity and to all those people awaiting life-saving transplants; you all give hope to so many others by raising the profile of Organ Donor Awareness in Ireland.

On behalf of the Charity I would like to thank you for taking part and to everyone who has contributed to the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund in any small way at all, as this has helped us to support various projects which, in turn improves the quality of life for those patients living with kidney illness and also helps us to create positive Organ Donor Awareness in Ireland.

I wish everyone continued good health.

Kind regards,

James Nolan