‘We have always looked at Evie's diagnosis as a blessing’: Kildare man inspired by niece to run Dublin Marathon 2025

A 28-year-old County Kildare man has announced his intention to run the Dublin Marathon 2025 in order to raise funds for the charity Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI).

According to DSI's official website, Down syndrome occurs when there is one extra copy of chromosome 21 in every cell in the body. It is a lifelong condition, which increases the risk of certain health issues.

In the case of Lee Kavanagh, Down syndrome has made an impact on his life, as he is the uncle of a young girl named Evie who happens to have the condition.

Lee, who is originally from Newbridge but now resides in Naas, told the Leinster Leader that he was inspired to participate in the upcoming marathon because of his niece.

When asked about Evie's personality, Lee replied: "Evie has always been a huge fan of music and dance, so as soon as she found her feet she started attending classes with Leah Moran Stage School.

"To this day, it’s something she looks forward to every week. Her love of singing and dancing has never left and we are so grateful to the team at Leah’s for being so inclusive.

"Her other hobbies would include having noodle dates with her grandad, whom she adores... other than that she's just your typical sassy seven-year-old!"

As for the challenges faced by Evie, Lee explained: "Some challenges Evie would have faced early on was learning to walk; it is very common for children with Down syndrome to have hypotonia, which causes low muscle tone or reduced muscle strength.

"In order to increase her muscle strength she had to go through lots of physical therapy classes and use many aids to help strengthen her muscles. We’ve been super lucky throughout the years to have super supportive SNA’s from preschool up who have also helped us along the way with getting Evie on her feet.

"It took her a little longer to get where she needed to be, but with all the extra supports in place it wasn’t long until she found her feet."

Lee also had this to say about Evie and what she means to him and his family: "We have always looked at Evie’s diagnosis as a blessing.

"I want people to know this goal is a celebration of her, we are so fortunate with where she is today... [the purpose of] raising these funds is to help those who have not been so fortunate to have the infrastructure in place that we’ve been blessed to have."

'A BRILLIANT START'

When it comes to preparing for marathon training, Lee said: "[The fundraiser] has had a brilliant start, so now that we are getting closer to the target, I can concentrate on the running side of things."

And while Lee took part in the Dublin City Half Marathon earlier this year with his partner, and also one in Connemara last year, he has never done a full marathon.

"I am absolutely nervous to do the [full] marathon! I think social media has made it look like an average feat, but for the human body, to be able to do that on the day, is such an incredible achievement."

He added: "I’ve always been active and wanted to push my body to prove to myself I can do it, so why not raise funds for something so close to home in the mean time?"

Lee currently has a fundraiser for DSI live on Eventmaster.ie.

The fundraiser has a €1,555 goal.

To donate to Lee's fundraiser, click here.

The Dublin Marathon 2025 will take place on October 26, 2025. It will commence at 8.45am and will conclude on the same date at 7pm. 

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