Published: Tuesday, 30th December, 2008 1:00pm

Anthony Keenan Trust Fund launched to help meet surgery costs

First fund-raising event

A major fund-raising campaign to assist popular Athlone man Anthony Keenan in his battle against serious illness has been launched.

Anthony (48), known to many as Jelly, was recently diagnosed with a brain tumour and the Anthony Keenan Trust Fund aims to help meet the costs of proposed surgery in America.

A member of a prominent Athlone family, Keenan is a former League of Ireland goalkeeper and was part of the first Athlone League of Ireland-winning squad of 1980-81. He also played between the posts for Longford Town, Cobh Ramblers and Monaghan Utd during a distinguished footballing career stretching over many years.

Anthony also worked in Elan for a decade and in more recent years has been an instantly-recognisable figure on his rounds in Athlone as a postman

Currently resident in Bealnamulla, with his wife Sinead, Anthony has four children, sons David (26) and Andrew (22) and daughters Cara (6) and Sarah (2).

He was initially admitted to Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe in late November for tests after suffering persistent headaches and was subsequently diagnosed as having a brain tumour.

Anthony was then transferred to Dublin"s Beaumont Hospital where a biopsy revealed that the tumour was malignant. Doctors are unable to operate on this type of tumour in Ireland.

Having heard of cases where successful surgery was carried out in America on similar tumours, Anthony and family contacted a world-renowned brain surgery clinic in America.

In the company of his wife, Anthony travelled to the Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina in recent days to meet with a top international neurosurgeon who has already provisionally scheduled an operation for the coming days.

And to help meet the medical costs in America, family and friends have launched the Anthony Keenan Trust Fund

The Trust Fund was established by Anthony"s son, David, brother, Peter, a well-known local businessman, and a number of family friends.

The fund is planning to organise a series of fund-raising events over the coming months in an effort to support Anthony. The first such event is a sponsored cycle, which will take place at 1pm on New Year"s Day in Athlone.

The cycle is being organised by Sean Magill, a colleague in An Post, and his wife, Oriel - and supported by friends of Anthony"s from The Grove Bar in Baylough.

The cycle leaves Baylough at 1pm on Thursday where it will be sent on its way by Anthony"s son, Andrew, and will continue to Hamrock"s in Brideswell before returning to The Grove.

Those who wish to take part in the sponsored cycle are welcome at The Grove pub. Sponsorship cards are available at Keenan Sports on John Broderick Street, and at The Grove on the day of the cycle itself,

A number of other events are also in the pipeline including a sports table quiz - and full details will be published in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, those who wish to donate to the fund can do so through a special bank account established at the Irish Permanent/TSB in Athlone"s Mardyke Street.

The account number is 14261460. Branch Sort Code: 99 07 18.

Already, the Trust Fund has been bowled over by the level of public support for Anthony.

Peter Keenan explained: 'It is absolutely magnificent. The amount of friends that have rallied around and have contacted him with their support and with donations is unbelievable.

'It has helped to renew old friendships and people that he hasn"t seen in years have made contact with him,' he added.

Mr Keenan paid tribute to the staff of Portiuncula Hospital for their encouragement and support. He issued a heartfelt thanks to all who had responded so quickly and generously in assisting Anthony.

'Anthony is in good spirits. His faith, fitness and determination to see this through stand him in good stead,' Peter explained.