A LIMERICK mother-of-two has urged the public to take back from cancer and support Daffodil Day on Friday, March 25.
“I am so grateful to be a cancer survivor,” says Stacey Kiely (31) from Corbally. She was only eight years old, when her cancer journey began as she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“At the time I was so young that I didn’t really realise what cancer was,” says Stacey.
“They were telling me I might lose my hair and that was a much bigger thing at that age. They did sit me down and explain that I was very sick, and that I would have to have lots of medicine and stay in hospital. Then as I was going through it, I realised how severe it was.”
Stacey’s treatment plan included eight months of chemotherapy.
During her illness, cancer took a lot from Stacey including school days and trips to the family holiday home in Ballybunion, which were cut short when she became ill. She also worried that cancer might take away her ability to have children. Today, Stacey is back to full health, and she is also a mum of two.
“I was told that there was a possibility I couldn’t have children because of my treatment but here I am now with a four year old and a nine month old,” she says.
She urges people to support Daffodil Day this year, the day we take part and take back so that one day cancer can take no more.
“March 25th is the most important fundraising event of the year for the Irish Cancer Society, and I would encourage people to get involved and support Daffodil Day so that we can take back from cancer,” says Stacey.
As well as supporting life-changing cancer research, the Irish Cancer Society provides vital services to patients and their families in Limerick each year, including supporting 272 counselling sessions, 339 nights of in-home Night Nursing for patients in their final days, and 233 Volunteer Driving lifts to get patients safely to and from their hospital appointments in 2021.
People are being asked to take part and take back from cancer in any way they can this Daffodil Day. As well as donating at Cancer.ie and volunteering to help fundraise, they can purchase items from the Daffodil Day online shop and take part in a steps challenge.
