By Joe Hanratty

A SPECIAL  presentation took place in Oram Community Centre last Saturday night when the Castleblayney Cancer Society was presented with a cheque for €20,000. The money was raised from a special fundraising function in the centre a number of weeks ago which was very well attended. The presentation was organised in remembrance of Mrs Kathleen Flanagan. The organisers of the event made a huge effort and there was a most generous response.

The cheque was received by members of the local Cancer Society. Also present were members of the family of the late  Kathleen Flanagan.   The Cancer Society provides funding towards specialist palliative care nurses working in homecare services. The aim of the Home Care Nursing Service is to make the patient with the disease as comfortable as possible in their home.

Home Care nurses work with general practitioners and public health nurses to provide relief from symptoms of the disease or as a result of treatment. This specialist care, while taking care of practical issues, also incorporates dealing with the emotional and spiritual needs of the patient and the family during this time. This level and type of care is usually referred to as palliative care.

The Cancer Society is also  involved in helping people through support groups where former patients, their families and friends can all come together to share their experiences and communicate with one another. This can be of great of benefit to patients and their families.  The society assists by training volunteers who are interested in running or leading a group and provides them with the skills necessary to give emotional and practical help in a safe and responsible way to patients and to the patient’s family and friends.

Castleblayney community has continued to respond most generously to the work of the Cancer Society. The local choral group is organising a concert in June in remembrance of one of their members the late David Gibbons who died from the disease recently.