Dying Man's Final Wish to Attend Masters Granted


The Shivas Irons Society, in cooperation with the Dream Foundation, will fulfill Raymond Finerty's lifelong wish to visit Augusta National Golf Club and attend the final round of the 2013 Masters.

The dream of Finerty, a golf lover and terminal cancer patient suffering from mesothelioma - an incurable form of cancer that traces back to the work he once did on asbestos brakes as a young auto mechanic in Ireland, is coming true thanks to the efforts of the Shivas Irons Society, the golf organization inspired by the Michael Murphy novel, "Golf in the Kingdom," and the Dream Foundation, a national wish-granting organization for adults and their families suffering life-threatening illness.

The Shivas Irons Society provides members with opportunities for community, discovery and transformation through golf, and engages in a variety of golf-related charitable activities, including its "Golf Dreams Project." Through a member, the society connected with a United States Golf Association official and Augusta National member who graciously donated two of the highly prized passes to the Masters' final round on April 14.

"The society and its officers, directors and members are all very pleased to partner with the Dream Foundation in the realization of Raymond's dream," said Bryan Golden, Shivas Irons Society executive director.

Volunteers representing the Dream Foundation visited Finertys' home in Queens, N.Y., on March 26 and gave him with two passes to the final round, airfare to Georgia, two nights' accommodations and other special surprises. .

Seven visitors rang his doorbell and presented Finerty with balloons, T-shirts, hats and a cake decorated with a golf ball and a tee. "Have A Wonderful Trip, Raymond," the cake said.

Finerty will go to Georgia with his son, Keith. "It's going to be hard to beat. I know that much," he told reporter Wayne Coffey of the New York Daily News. "It's like going to Mecca."

"We know that at this time of crisis in Raymond's life, he will benefit from the sense of fulfillment that being present at Augusta National for the final round of this most prestigious golf tournament will bring," added Golden. "Having his son Keith present with him will no doubt enhance the value to both of them of this very special dream come true."

With a prognosis of fewer than six months to live due to advanced-stage lung cancer, Finerty, 59, is currently on hiatus from treatment while he supports his wife, Mary, who's also battling cancer. A devoted husband and father, he's always loved golf, having taught all his children to play from an early age. For as long as they can remember, he has dreamed of visiting the "Home of the Masters."

About The Shivas Irons Society

The Shivas Irons Society, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Carmel, Calif., is a network of golfers from all walks of life throughout the U.S., Canada and over a dozen other countries around the world. It is named in honor of Shivas Irons, the mystical golf professional who was introduced to us in Michael Murphy's novel, "Golf in the Kingdom."

About Dream Foundation

The first and largest national wish-granting organization for adults, Dream Foundation enhances the quality of life for individuals and their families battling life-threatening illness. Recipients are those individuals who have been given a year or less life expectancy. Dreams range from basic-need items - like a working stove - to bedside reunions and meaningful experiences with children and loved ones. Founded in 1994, the organization fulfills more than 2,500 dreams a year and relies on a network of volunteers, sponsors and individual donors. For more information, visit www.dreamfoundation.org or call 805/564-2131.