KILKENNY Relay for Life has told The Observer that The Village Childcare & Community Services Group has generously offered to run its Drive-In Bingo at the Castleinch Venue for Relay for Life Kilkenny.
The Irish Cancer Society will benefit from the bingo on Saturday next, September 26 at 7pm.
Relay for Life Kilkenny fundraising has been shattered by Covid 19.
PRO Mary Harrington said The Irish Cancer Society is really busy this year with more people than ever needing its services.
Relay was due to have 19 teams at its annual event on the weekend of July 18 and 19 at Kilkenny Rugby Club.
It would have been its eight year. In the previous seven years it raised €337,679.
From money raised, funding comes back to Kilkenny Cancer patients through the Care to Drive, Night Nursing Service, Patient Grants, Cancer Research and other initiatives.
Driver Service
Last year over 1.6million people affected by cancer received free information and support through Cancer Society services.
These included 67 cancer patients in Kilkenny who received 246 nights of care through the society’s Night Nursing service.
Night Nurses provide up to 10 nights of care for cancer patients who are at the end of their cancer journey. Care is in their own homes, surroundings by loving families. Some 34 patients from Kilkenny were brought to 323 chemotherapy appointments by the Volunteer Driver Service.
This operates in 23 hospitals around the country and relies on volunteers to drive patients to and from chemo treatment.
Kilkenny City is looking for drivers. Volunteers can get in touch with the Irish Cancer Society.
Cancer Society Nurses are available to talk to anyone concerned about cancer on the Freephone Cancer Nurseline 1800 200 700, or in any Daffodil Centre.
Last year, 350 from Kilkenny were directly supported through these services.
Hard hit
A total of 343 counselling sessions were provided here through the society’s affiliated cancer support centre, helping 61 people to cope with a diagnosis.
Grants totalling €7,500 were provided to 8 families in Kilkenny through the Society’s Financial Support Programme which supports parents of children who are undergoing cancer treatment and experiencing financial hardship.
Twenty six patients from Kilkenny were granted a total of €8,175 from the Travel2Care transportation assistance fund made available by the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and administered by the Irish Cancer Society.
This fund is available to patients travelling to the eight designated cancer care centres in Ireland.
Fundraising has been hard hit by Covid 19.
The Cancer Society would normally bring in about €4 million through fundraising. That is down to €1 million this year.
It is hoped to be back bigger than ever in 2021. Contact is relayforlifekilkenny@gmail.com or through Relay for Life Kilkenny on Facebook.
