Butterfly Ball in aid of Mid-Western Cancer Foundation

ABOVE: The Butterfly Ball 2014 committee – Niall Roche, Gerry O Doherty, Bernie Woulfe, Professor Gupta (back), Linda Fahey, Edele Gupta, Lisa Tracey, Catherine Osbourne, Katherine Hand, Paula Williams (front). Picture: Jonathan Baynes.

Butterfly Ball in aid of Mid-Western Cancer Foundation

By I Love Limerick Correspondent Niamh Higgins

The annual Butterfly Ball is run by the Board of the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation. The Butterfly Ball took place on Saturday 4th October at the Strand Hotel, Ennis Road, Limerick

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The annual Foundation’s Butterfly Ball is considered one of the high profile events of the Mid-West area social calendar, with all money raised going to benefit the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation.

The aim of the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation is to complement and cooperate with the HSE to assist with the regional Cancer Services in areas such as purchasing of equipment, funding research, and continuing education that is necessary to support our designated National Cancer Centre but along with that the Foundation also helps to create awareness of cancer in the Mid-West region.

This year has been difficult for the Cancer Foundation from a financial point of view for everybody personally and professionally. This is especially the case in the HSE where funding has been reduced.

Even  with  this  in  mind  the  Foundation  continues  to  receive  considerable donations from those individuals who have been treated in our centre and also their families and friends who have been affected by their experience.

The establishment of the Mid-Western Cancer Centre has enabled the majority of patients to be treated locally thus remaining at home with support from family, friends and health professionals within the region.

Director of Mid-Western Cancer Foundation Paula Williams said “We are very proud of the service established here which has always been well supported by the people of the region.”

Even though the last 12 months of fundraising has been difficult, significant funds have been raised and used to improve the Cancer Centre.

A Clinical System upgrade has been installed which cost €8,400. €7,000 was spent on a refurbishment of the floors in ward 4B, the Quiet Room, Day Ward and also the Support Centre. These works are still ongoing while the full refurbishment of Ward 4B cost in total €2,044.75. Other refurbishments to the Support Centre cost €7,000.

Along with this the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation has also founded a Senior House Officer for six months costing €44,381.

While speaking the Director, Paula Williams also touched on the centre’s aims for the future and emphasised the importance of support.

“Funding is also used on an ongoing basis to support the Cancer Information and Support Centre. Here we aim to compliment the medical treatment by the provision of psychological and counselling support with access to services such as complimentary therapies and support groups. We hope to be just as successful for the next year so that we can maintain all the services currently provided.

“The number of people who are being diagnosed in this region is increasing and continuing to increase.  In the current environment we need your support, more than ever to help us ensure the continuing management of our patients with cancer.”

You can find the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation online at http://www.mwcf.ie/ 

On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MidWesternCancerFoundation

Or for more information you can email Lisa Tracey at [email protected]

Read more about the Butterfly Ball here!

BUTTERFLY BALL

Photos by Jonathan Baynes for ILoveLimerick.com 2014. All Rights Reserved

BUTTERFLY BALL LAUNCH

Photos by Niamh Higgins for ILoveLimerick.com 2014. All Rights Reserved.