Moore’s Jacqueline ‘absolutely chuffed’ with major award

Moore's Jacqueline Daly declared herself “absolutely chuffed” to be the third recipient the Laura Brennan Award for her outstanding advocacy work for cancer patients.

The Ballinasloe native, who is the Director of Services of East Galway Midlands Cancer Support in her home town, was presented with the annual award recently which recognises outstanding achievement in the areas of patient advocacy or patient and public involvement in research by the Irish Society of Gynaecological Oncology.

The award is named in memory of Clare's Laura Brennan, the prominent HPV vaccine campaigner, who sadly died last year from cervical cancer, aged just 26.

“Laura has saved so many lives and I am proud to continue her work. We now really need to focus on gender-neutral vaccinations in order to eradicate HPV cancers. Parents must make informed decisions on the HPV Vaccine. HPV cancers are preventable and I would strongly encourage uptake of the vaccine. Can you imagine a world without cervical and other gynaelogical cancers, oesophageal, anal and penile cancer? It is something we all must strive towards," Jacqueline said of the accolade which is only three years in existence. Poignantly, Laura Brennan was herself the first recipient, followed by Joan Moore.

“It's been a strange year but we've found a way (in the centre) to make it work. You can't start to support people and then pull the rug from under them. Mental health is going to be the big casualty of this (Covid-19). At the end of the day, people need people,” Jacqueline said of how the group worked to stay supporting people during the pandemic.

Instead of one counsellor, there are now five, with counselling now available over the phone or Zoom. All support groups have moved online, and they have a sanitising system in the building for their counselling or therapy room and a one-way system in place.

Although fewer people are coming into the centre, the organisation is trying to keep clients informed and supported throughout as best it can in other ways, and services like bringing patients to radiotherapy appointments continue albeit without the usual meal and chat afterwards. In the early lockdown, it was possible to move the meal outside, Jacqueline said but the weather being weather in winter that is no longer possible.

All the support offered to cancer patients is free of charge so Jacqueline couldn't be more thankful to the people who have continued to fundraise for them even though it's all virtual and online.

“It's amazing people have continued to fundraise for us, they have been very creative. One man Eric Nugent has run every day and by New Year's Eve, he will have 20 marathons done for us. Another, Stephen Creaven is running 4km every four hours for 48 hours, the proceeds of which will be divided between us and Jigsaw.”

East Galway Midlands Cancer Support has also jumped on the online fundraising bandwagon too – holding a successful virtual Christmas Craft Fair, selling locally made goods and crafts which has proved very successful in the run-up to Christmas, she concluded.