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Tag Archives: Irish Cancer Society

Night nurse humbled by work

A Kilmihil-based cancer support night nurse says she is “humbled” by the welcome she receives from families while she is caring for their loved ones. Working with the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) since June 2002 as a night nurse, Anne Normoyle is one of the night nurses who are the link between the living and the dying. Speaking at the launch of the ICS’s Relay for Life, Anne admitted there is a huge trust issue when by families let a total stranger into their home to look after a loved one at a very vulnerable stage in their lives. “Night nurses are humbled by the fact we are accepted into peoples’ homes at such a delicate time for the patient and their family. “A person may be all dressed up the first night but, by night two, generally, they are in their pyjamas ready to go to bed. It is a good sign that they have their trust in us …

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Kilrush and Ennistymon groups reject smoking

Kilrush Youthreach and North West Clare Family Resource Centre Youth Club in Ennistymon are looking for local support to put them in the final shake up for the Irish Cancer Society’s X-HALE Youth Awards. The film project, The Other Side is the Kilrush entry, while the Ennistymon club is competing with its film The End of the Line. The youth groups are calling for public support via online viewing to win one of the top awards on offer. X-HALE is an initiative of the Irish Cancer Society which aims to empower young people to tackle smoking in their communities and raise awareness about the dangers of smoking among their peers. The X-HALE Youth Awards national showcase event in the Light House Cinema in July will be the finale of months of hard work by youth groups nationwide in preparing short films and projects to encourage young people to be smoke free. Ahead of the national event which will see the …

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Lisa ahead of the rest in fundraising

WHEN Lisa Aherne leaves her house, she’s bound to draw a few puzzled glances. While she had shoulder-length hair last week , she shaved it at Shannon Knights as a fundraiser for the Irish Cancer Society. Speaking afterwards at her home in Carrig Hill, she said, “I was sick a couple of years ago and a lot of people fundraised for me and I always thought since then that I’d like to give something back. About five weeks ago, I decided to do it. I put it up on Facebook, got my first donation and I couldn’t go back then.” On her own illness she says, “I had a tumour in my neck. It wasn’t cancerous but it was potentially deadly because it was wrapped around my carotid artery. “They couldn’t deal with it in Ireland so I had to go to London to get it sorted. There were two operations in Guy’s Hospital. One of the operations was in May and …

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Daffodil Day 2015 launched

As the most recent statistics show 15 people in Clare being diagnosed with cancer every week, the countdown is on for Daffodil Day on Friday, March 27. Supported by Dell, this year marks the 28th Daffodil Day, Ireland’s longest running and biggest fundraising day. The society announced a growth in cancer incidence that is sure to have a direct impact on its services; increasing the need for the people in Clare to support Daffodil Day so they can reach their fundraising target of €3.5 million for 2015. Speaking at the launch of Daffodil Day, John McCormack, chief executive officer, Irish Cancer Society said, “Every family in Clare is touched by cancer, and these new figures confirm that cancer rates are growing. As cancer is increasing, so are our efforts to fight it. As the national cancer charity we are working harder to ensure that every family in need of support in Clare has access to our services. To meet the …

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BreastCheck age extension welcomed

The Irish Cancer Society has welcomed the decision, outlined in Budget 2015, to make the necessary investment to ensure that BreastCheck is extended to women aged 65-69. “Since 2011, the Irish Cancer Society has been campaigning for women between the ages of 65-69 to be screened for breast cancer,” said Kathleen O’Meara, head of advocacy and communications at the Irish Cancer Society. One in ten of all breast cancers occur in the 65-69 age group. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) says that quality screening mammography carried out every two years in women who are 50-69 years of age should reduce their risk of dying from breast cancer by about 35%. This means that one life will be saved for every 500 women screened. “Last month, the Irish Cancer Society highlighted the fact that extending BreastCheck to the 65-69 age group would save a minimum of 87 lives a year. We considered this to be a priority issue …

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BreastCheck puts pressure on TDs

The Irish Cancer Society is calling on people in Clare to bring pressure to bear on the four local TDs to support its campaign to extend the free national breast cancer screening programme, BreastCheck, to women aged 65 to 69 in 2015. Women aged 60 to 69 have the second highest incidence of breast cancer and the second highest chance of dying from it. Yet only half of this age group is currently being screened. BreastCheck invites women aged 50 to 64 for free screening every two years. Women who are 65 to 69 are not being screened. The Cancer Society wants to ensure these women are not forgotten about. The society’s head of advocacy and communications, Kathleen O’Meara said, “The 2011 Programme for Government promised an extension of BreastCheck to the 65 to 69 age range. Future Health, the Government’s reform plan for the health service, promised the roll-out would begin in 2014. This has not happened. “The Irish …

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