Our Background

Childhood Cancer Ireland was founded in 2013 by parents and family members of children with cancer. The group originally came together in 2013 to start the Light It Up Gold campaign in Ireland which runs during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September.

The first campaign was so well received that a group of parents decided to set up a national paediatric cancer charity to represent children and families affected by childhood cancer in Ireland. Thus, Childhood Cancer Foundation was born.

We would like to recognise the contribution of all of the individuals and their families, who volunteered their time and energy so generously in establishing the charity. When you are involved in setting up a charity that is so close to your heart, it becomes part of the family, and we thank all of those named below, and their families, for their dedication and commitment, which has ultimately allowed us to grow into the organisation we are today.

Early Members

  • Maura Toner
  • Gillian Smith
  • Aine Richards
  • Paddy Richards
  • Aine Darcy
  • Brian Curran
  • Nicola Murphy
  • Aoife Clarke
  • Karen Foran
  • Jane Mc Adoo
  • Virginia Murray
  • Paula Scott Mc Bride
  • Mary Claire Rennick
  • Laura Cullinan

Our Achievements

We are proud of the achievements that Childhood Cancer Ireland has made since it was established in 2013, these include:

  • Funding a dedicated Play Specialist for St John’s Paediatric Cancer Day Ward, Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin.
  • Funding a medical research project, as a joint undertaking, with a research team at UCD School of Nursing examining the effectiveness of complimentary therapies in reducing symptoms in children/adolescents with cancer.
  • Completing the refurbishment of seven isolation rooms in Shared Care facilities in:
    • Drogheda
    • Letterkenny
    • Sligo
    • Ballinasloe
    • Tralee
    • Waterford
    • Mullingar
  • The establishment of a Peer Support programme with the Irish Cancer Society.
  • Representing the voices and needs of children, adolescents and young adults with cancer, as well as their siblings and parents and childhood cancer survivors nationally and internationally.
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