SHAY O’Grady, 10, has already raised over £34,000 for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice but has now embarked on another fundraising challenge.
Throughout February, Shay, his friends and their dogs are walking 768 miles, the same distance which Sheffield Wednesday will travel to away games in the month which has raised £600 so far.
Bluebell Wood is a charity close to Shay’s heart, his cousin Evie also 10, has chromosome deletion which makes the care that the charity provides vital.
Shay said: “I just want to make everyone happy. I want to make Evie happy and I want to make her friends happy.
“I just want people to follow in my footsteps and raise money for charity.”
Shay with cousin, Evie-Mae.
This is one in a series of fundraising events to raise money for Bluebell Wood, who provide palliative care for young people and support for their families.
In 2019, he walked from the hospice to Hillsborough stadium which raised £4,000 before the money was doubled and rounded to £10,000 by Sheffield Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri.
Then, last year Shay smashed a charitable triathlon which finished with a walk from Hillsborough to Oakwell, when Sheffield Wednesday played Barnsley before cycling back after the game.
Shay at Oakwell, Barnsley in February 2020 at the end of his triathlon.
This even beat his previous fundraising efforts and raised over £10,000.
There was still enough time left last year for Shay to cycle the distance to Wembley by riding from Hillsborough to Bramall lane, this caught the eye of players from both teams.
Jason O’Grady, Shay’s father said: “Not only Wednesday, but Sheffield United fans, the players and the club have also got behind Shay which has been really good.”
Shay with the Sheffield United squad at Bramall Lane.
It costs almost £14,000 a day for Bluebell Wood to keep their doors open for families across South Yorkshire and beyond.
Robert Langley, communications officer at Bluebell Wood, said: “Shay is an incredible and inspirational young man who has done so much to help his Cousin Evie-Mae and all the other children and families who visit Bluebell Wood.
“Thanks to his phenomenal fundraising efforts we’re able to make precious memories with children and their families who sadly don’t know how long they will have with one another.”
Shay already has his sights set on another triathlon to Derby County’s Pride Park stadium and back which has already raised a staggering £8,500.
Mr Langley added: “Shay doesn’t just stop at fundraising; he’s also done so much to raise awareness of the life-changing work we do here.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Shay for everything he’s achieved and we’re very proud to have him in our extended Bluebell Wood family.”