Tribute to Pam Gilligan

Pam Gilligan first became known to the IMNDA after she was diagnosed with MND and registered with the Association in September 2004. Pam and her husband, Johnny, soon became involved in activities run by the Association and then began to source their own events and bring new ideas to us.

In 2006, Pam and Johnny used their contact with Olympic gold medalist boxer Michael Carruth to get the IMNDA selected as a recipient on the pilot series of "Celebrity Jigs and Reels". The program ran on RTE1 and attracted a lot of attention. Michael Carruth soon became the joker of the pack and as the underdog at dancing, he won the hearts and votes for several weeks of the show. This kept the IMNDA in the limelight and raised the awareness of our work and our community significantly.

Pam was also instrumental in gaining support for the IMNDA as a contender in the Newstalk 106 charity campaign which saw the IMNDA reach the final and be awarded €10,000.

Michael Carruth, Pam and Johnny Gilligan pictured for part of the
Newstalk 106 campaign

Over the years Pam and Johnny worked tirelessly on several of our events, always coming forward to take a dinner table or sell tickets or donate prizes. They were a regular couple at our AGM conference and patient carer weekends where they would use their experiences to lend support to other families.

We want to take this opportunity to thank Johnny and Pam for their continuous support and endless enthusiasm. It was a privilege to have met and worked with Pam and she will be long remembered for her advice, her courage and the touch of class she brought to our events.