Family and friends of Grange man Pat Toal have raised £19,350 for Dementia NI following a 24-hour spinathon held in his memory.
The final total was confirmed after Pat’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren took part in the endurance challenge at St Colmcille’s GFC, Grange. The event began at 8.30pm on August 7 and continued for 24 hours.
The date was chosen because August 7 would have been Pat’s 88th birthday. The fundraiser brought together those closest to him for a cause shaped by the impact dementia had on his family.
A challenge held in Pat Toal’s memory
Pat died on August 25, 2025, at Hamilton Court Care Home. His family were with him when he died, and remembered him as their “hero” and Grange’s “gentle giant”.
His daughter, Mary, described the effect of his dementia diagnosis on the family, saying: “From that moment on, we lost a little piece of him every day”.
For Pat’s family, supporting Dementia NI was a fitting way to remember him. The organisation is a local, member-led charity formed in 2015 by five people diagnosed with dementia. It works to empower people living with a diagnosis to live well and to encourage positive change in dementia services and policy.
Local support helped fundraiser pass £19,000
The final fundraising figure was £19,350, with donations collected through a raffle and a JustGiving page. The organisers said the total reflected the generosity of people and businesses in the local community.
The family thanked “each and every business and anyone who made donations or called in to cheer on the cyclists”. Their acknowledgement covered both those who contributed financially and those who visited St Colmcille’s GFC during the demanding 24-hour event.
The fundraiser follows a period of grief for Pat’s nearest and dearest, who came together to turn his memory into support for a charity focused on dementia. The money raised will benefit Dementia NI and its work with people affected by the condition.
