DOWNPATRICK Lions Club has presented cheques totalling £1,500 to three cancer charities.
Club members and friends held a summer collection in support of the Cancer Fund for Children’s Daisy Lodge facility outside Newcastle, the Young Lives versus Cancer organisation and the Children’s Cancer Unit Charity based at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
All three charities, which are involved with the treatment of children with cancers, or who support children and their families as they progress throughout their cancer journey, received £500.
The cheques were presented by the Downpatrick club’s president, Mark Johnston, who visited each of the three charities to speak with staff and learn about the magnificent work they carry out.
At Daisy Lodge, Mr Johnston visited the Cancer Fund for Children’s residential services facility which supports children, young people and families impacted by cancer.
Lions officials say local people know it to have fantastic onsite cancer support specialists and many other services in a magnificent setting overlooking the Mourne Mountains which Mark found to be very impressive.
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity was established in 1984 with the aim of building a dedicated cancer unit for children in Northern Ireland.
After three years of fundraising and rallying public support, the unit was opened at the Royal Belfast for Sick Children in 1987 and the charity continues to provide essential support to the unit and the families who visit there.
The charity also financed an extension to the unit increasing the number of beds from eight to ten and purchased essential equipment in addition to helping with some funding of key posts.
The Young Lives vs Cancer charity has two large houses in Belfast offering free accommodation for families to stay close to their child or young person when having cancer treatment.
Mr Johnston was given a tour of the magnificent facilities at Paul’s House for families of children from birth to 16.
He visited the Falls Road facility opposite the Sick Children’s Hospital which has four large family bedrooms which are all en suite.
There are two living rooms, a kitchen, a quiet room and courtyard.
It is a home-from-home for families from throughout Northern Ireland who can stay as long as they need, which saves them time and money travelling long distances when their young child has been admitted for continuing cancer treatment.