Newport community rally together to help raise €100,000 for a cancer victim Kevin Bourke

Kevin Bourke (29) who has a rare form of cancer has been helped for the whole community in Newport and Limerick

Newport community rally together to help raise €100,000 for a cancer victim Kevin Bourke

The community in Newport has banded together to help raise €100,000 for one of its residence, Kevin Bourke (29), who has a rare form of cancer, which is inoperable. Kevin, who was diagnosed with thymic squamous cell carcinoma last year, needs immunotherapy treatment as soon as possible to give him a fighting chance at life.

He is currently on round three of a four-round cycle of chemotherapy but it’s not enough. Kevin’s body isn’t able for more chemo and now needs to switch to immunotherapy treatment. The cost per infusion is €8,085 and its forecast that Kevin will need a minimum of eight infusions for it to work. Kevin did apply to the HSE for funding but it was rejected. 

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Kevin’s Go Fund Me Page (The Kevin Bourke Treatment Fund) was set up by Tipperary Hurler Sean O’Brien and other close friends of Kevin. It went viral very quickly and over €60,000 has already been raised from people all over Ireland (and abroad). 

If all the money is raised for Kevin to have the required immunotherapy infusions, the treatment will act differently to chemo. It works on the immune system to help fight the disease. It’s not as hard on the system as chemo and doesn’t have as many nasty side effects and it will improve the quality of Kevin’s life. It gives him the best option to keep cancer at bay.

Kevin, who completed a Masters in culture and colonization in NUIG, was working as a digital marketing executive up until his diagnosis in Limerick.

Kevin´s mother, Mary Bourke said she hopes “the community can give her son a chance at life. We just don’t have this kind of money for the treatment but if we don’t get it for him I don’t know what will happen. It’s now down to the wire. This needs to happen immediately. Chemo will soon not be an option as his body can’t take it anymore.”

 “To be honest up to now the whole community in Newport has shown just how great they are. People who Kevin never even met have arrived at the door with holy water, holy medals, prayers, offers of help and good wishes. We have been so humbled by this kindness; it makes the whole process a little easier on us all.”

 “It warms my heart to see so many of Kevin’s pals call to see him all the time. There are times where there is a gang of lads in the living room sitting with Kevin, checking in on him, sharing the weekend’s sports on TV,” added Mary.

She continued, “If we could raise this money it would mean that our community has given my son a fighting chance. The doctors can do all they can do but if we aren’t in a position to pay for it then Kevin simply can’t get it. People in Newport have been so giving and so loving so far and we would be lost without them.”

To help fight Kevin’s cancer with him people can donate online – Go Fund Me, The Kevin Bourke Treatment Fund. You can find the link at the end of this article.

A Credit Union account has been set up in Newport: Kevin Bourke Fund: Iban – IE47MURN99219510177117.

AIB Bank- Kevin Bourke Account- Iban IE80AIBK93014827681080

To donate and help Kevin go here

For more stories on fundraising go here