Hundreds volunteer to MedSoc’s “Med Day” to raise money for Barretstown

By Chloe Maguire Sedgwick | Oct 22 2018

Med Day is an annual fundraising event that Med Soc holds each year. In the past, they chose a number of charities to fundraise for on the day in October.  In recent years they have decided instead to choose one charity and raise a solid sum of money for it. Last year, their chosen charity was Debra Ireland. This year, their chosen charity was Barretstown. Med Day 2018 has received sponsorship from the likes of Bank of Ireland, Montrose Bookaball and Medical Protection.The money is raised by medical students who, given the day off by lecturers to participate, sign up to collect around the greater Dublin area. Miki Romanovschi, a graduate entry medicine first year student, complimented MedSoc's work, saying that the event had been advertised well by the Society, and that their professors encouraged them to take part. Emily Needles, another graduate entry medicine first year student, said that it was a chance for medical students to get out and support a great cause and raise money.100s of UCD health science students took to the streets from 7am to 11am this morning with their buckets. They were put in small groups and sent to specific locations all around Dublin from Baggot Street to Camden Street to O’Connell Street. Their job was to talk to locals, explain the cause, and to encourage them to donate. Aisling Clarke, an undergraduate medicine student, said they were blessed with the weather, and that groups from each location said they got good donations. There was then another collection in the afternoon from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Emily Needles spoke about how Barretstown was a phenomenal organisation, and how it is easy to treat the disease but not the patient. Barretstown provides respite for children who have had or have serious illnesses. It gives children who didn’t get to have a normal childhood a chance to experience one for a short amount of time. She said it was great for medicine students, who spend so much time in the classroom and are focused on learning the basics, to think about how the point of their degree is to put the patient’s life first and to make people’s lives better. Last year for Med Day, the society raised money in the high €2,000s. This year, the society’s goal is to raise over €3,000. At the end of the day, all the volunteers celebrate with a night out. The night started in the Clubhouse, and ended in DTwo with each volunteer given a drink token to thank them for their hard work.