Offaly woman raised over €800 for Nurse led Oncology Unit at hospital

ANNE Deroe, Shinrone raised over €800 for the Oncology Unit in Portinuncla Hospital, Ballinasloe during Birr Vintage Week.

Her husband, Mick O’Shea was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at an extremely advanced stage and given three to five years to live. He survived for just over five years, having gone through surgery in St Vincent’s and University Hospital Galway and several rounds of chemo in Ballinasloe. He died on 27th May 2021, but Mick was very grateful for the treatment he received in Ballinasloe. The nurses treated him and all the other patients, with expert attention, care and good humour. When the chemo was no longer effective, Mick was devastated as he missed the regular contact and friendship. Eventually the Palliative Care Team from Tullamore took over his care and enabled him to fulfill his wish to die in his own home in his much loved Shinrone.

Anne Deroe is a member of Birr Art Group and sold some paintings, the proceeds of those and of the donations bucket during Vintage Week raised over €800. Anne would like to thank the people who donated and members of Birr Art Group who helped and supported the fundraiser.

Anne appeals to people who are sixty and over to take the bowel screen test as Mick O Shea’s cancer would have been detected at much earlier stage if he had taken the bowel screen.