“Cancer has touched my life an awful lot over the years”   

Presenter Elaine Crowley remembers her nephew, mother and father and over 9,500 others lost to cancer in 2024  

9 December 2024: Presenter, Elaine Crowley, joined Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse, Agnes Horan and CEO Averil Power at Sandymount Strand, to remember the over 9,500 lives lost to cancer this year in Ireland.  

Elaine lost her dad Sean to liposarcoma, a rare and incurable cancer when she was just 23. Her beloved mother, Mary V, died in 2021 from lung cancer and her nephew Ultan,11, died from a rare form of cancer in 2023. This Christmas, she is calling on the public to show their support for the Irish Cancer Society’s range of services, including their Night Nursing service.  

Elaine Crowley, TV presenter & producer said, “Each year in Ireland, around 9,500 lives are lost to cancer. It is an incredibly difficult time of the year for anybody to be thinking about loved ones you have lost, and for me it will be no different. Cancer has touched my life an awful lot over the years. I sadly lost my dad Sean and mum, Mary V, to cancer, and more recently my nephew Ultan, who was only eleven years old.   

“For many people this Christmas, they will be faced with saying a final goodbye to a loved one. The Irish Cancer Society’s Night Nursing Service is there all year round, including Christmas time, so that cancer patients coming towards the end of life can spend their final days at home with loved ones. This is such a special service, and I know firsthand how valuable this time with your loved one is. I encourage anybody who is thinking of giving this Christmas to donate anything you can to support the wonderful work of the Irish Cancer Society and their Night Nurses. The work they do, the support they give, and the positive impact this can have for families is incredibly important.”  

Kerry local, Lucy O’Shea, whose family was supported by Night Nurse, Agnes when her dad, Tim died last year says the supports the Society provide were a lifeline to her family, when they needed it most.    

“In April 2023, our lovely dad Tim O’Shea, passed away quietly at home just before midnight, from cancer. I feel there aren’t any words to describe the precious gift the Night Nurses gave our family. Until you need their support – until you feel their warmth and witness their amazing expertise – you don’t really understand just how incredible they are. We just knew that Dad was going to be totally, and tenderly, taken care of. Today, as Christmas approaches, I’m reminded that Dad adored this time of year. This Christmas season, we will be remembering him and the time we shared together. I urge anyone who can, please donate to the Irish Cancer Society, so that every family can avail of the same vital support we had.”  

Averil Power, Irish Cancer Society CEO said, “Last year, our Night Nurses delivered just under 6,900 nights of care to cancer patients at home in their final days, including on Christmas Eve, Christmas Night, and all over the Christmas period. This support is incredibly important during what can be a difficult and anxious time for families. This service would simply not be possible without the incredible generosity of people all over the country who give their support and make donations to the Irish Cancer Society. We typically receive only 5% of our funding for Government, meaning the rest comes from individuals and organisations who generously support our work. We want to be there for as many people as possible who need us and to do that, we need your support.”  

The public can support vital services for cancer patients this Christmas, including the Irish Cancer Society Night Nursing service, at cancer.ie/christmas.