Rita is 2024 Mayo Person of the Year
Community Award recipient Rita Casey from Charlestown pictured with husband John and daughter Jenna Eve at Friday night's Mayo Sports Stars Awards. Picture: Michael Donnelly
Charlestown woman Rita Casey is the Mayo Person of the Year award winner for 2024.
Last October, Rita ran the Dublin Marathon in 4h04m despite undergoing chemotherapy treatment for brain and lung cancer.
The mother-of-three raised an incredible €22,300 for Mayo Roscommon Hospice in the process.
Inspirational barely begins to describe the impact that Rita has had upon so many. The fiercely proud Donegal native was first diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2017. Her response was to run her third Dublin Marathon while receiving chemotherapy. By 2019, having received the ‘all-clear’, she returned to Dublin and ran a 3h19m personal best time.
But the Garda based in Ballymote, Co Sligo had to somehow comprehend – and contend with – a second cancer diagnosis in May 2021, this time stage four of the brain and lung. It’s a little wonder then that when Rita arrived to the start line for last October’s Dublin Marathon, she was presented the Lord Mayor’s Medal by Daithí de Róiste, Lord Mayor of Dublin in recognition of her incredible bravery and courage.
A dedicated member of East Mayo AC, Rita that day wore the Garda Síochána running singlet for the 26.2-mile race alongside fellow members of the ‘blue line’. She has explained in the past that running provides a great source of stress relief.
Rita was presented with Community award at last Friday night's Western People Mayo Sports Stars Award.
“I have a lot to live for, I have a wonderful husband and three young kids and I could lie and wallow in it, but I have a lot to fight for and I will continue to fight,” Rita said on the night.
“Running has helped me immensely over the years, I lost both my parents to cancer, my mother died in 2010 and my father died in 2013, it got me over the grief really. Then when I was diagnosed myself, it really helped me come to terms with that. It was my release. It helped me physically with the treatment but also more mentally and it still does.”
