‘Dip in the Nip’ raises €200,000

Nenagh family’s event supports children with cancer diagnosis

Some 200 women took the plunge with a ‘Dip in the Nip’ on St Patrick’s Day to support children with a cancer diagnosis and their families

The event took place at Portmarnock, Co Dublin, to raise much needed funds to support Crumlin Children’s Hospital as well as Cancer Fund for Children (CFFC) plans for a new therapeutic short break centre, Daisy Lodge, in Cong Co Mayo. The hardy ladies have greatly exceeded their €150,000 target and have now raised more than €200,000.

Daisy Lodge, Mayo is a much needed therapeutic short breaks facility, which will provide respite for children with a cancer diagnosis and their families, and it is due to be built on the shores of Lough Corrib near the village of Cong, Co Mayo.

NENAGH INSPIRATION

The Dip in the Nip event was inspired by bubbly seven-year-old Penny O’Brien of Nenagh and organised by her mum, Sinead. Penny was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, bone cancer in her leg, and finished her chemotherapy on March 26, 2021. During Penny’s recovery, her two sisters Emma (11) and Abigail (10), mum Sinead and dad Kevin visited the existing Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, Co Down for some respite.

After their short break, Sinead said: “Our short break in Daisy Lodge Newcastle was like a breath of fresh air for us as a family. The short stay allowed us to regroup as a family and forget about hospitals and treatment and just be.

“An additional centre in Mayo would ensure that all families living with childhood cancer could experience that little bit of normality and reconnect. We felt normal at Daisy Lodge. We weren’t a cancer family when we were there. The other kids looked exactly like Penny.”

The Dip in the Nip ladies have received great support and words of encouragement from many famous faces on Instagram. Moreover, many have gone the extra mile to hold their own fundraising events in recent weeks to raise funds for the charity. From 5km races to virtual bingo, Covid has not put a stop to the hard work and fundraising for Daisy Lodge, Mayo.

The planned centre in Mayo is inspired by a similar centre in Co Down, which currently supports 450 families a year, some of whom are referred for therapeutic short breaks through Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. “We have a great working relationship with the team at Crumlin Children’s Hospital, but the capacity in Newcastle is not sufficient to meet the all-Ireland demand and that’s why we desperately need this second therapeutic centre,” said CFFC CEO Phil Alexander. “We are so grateful to this group of enthusiastic women who braved freezing sea temperatures to support our cause.”

Behind every childhood cancer diagnosis there is a whole family affected, and beyond the essential medical care, there is a family life that needs to be rebuilt. Daisy Lodge for Mayo will be the first exclusive space for children diagnosed with cancer and their families in Ireland, and will increase the number of families supported to 1,000 per year. This new project will effectively ensure that no child in Ireland will face cancer alone.

HOW TO SUPPORT

Should you wish to know more about the appeal and new build, please contact phil@cancerfundforchildren.ie or visit www.cancerfundforchildren.ie.

Donate directly at: Dip in the Nip - In for a Penny / Fundraising Event Ireland (idonate.ie).

Instagram: @daisylodge4mayo

Facebook: @daisylodge4mayo/ @InForAPenny2022

Twitter: @cancerfundchild

Website: https://cancerfundforchildren.ie.