GAA Legends Help Recovery Haven Launch Awareness Campaign

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Grace O’Donnell of the Recovery Haven with Cathal Walsh, Ger Power, Mikey Sheehy and Ger O’Keeffe at the launch of the Recovery Haven awareness campaign on Monday. Photo by Dermot Crean

GAA stars of the past were on hand on Monday evening to help launch the Recovery Haven’s campaign to raise awareness of their services.

Weeshie Fogarty’s ‘Terrace Talk’ programme was broadcast from the centre at Haig’s Terrace in Killerisk where Ogie Moran, Eoin Liston and Ger O’Keeffe were on hand to discuss their experience of prostate cancer.

This helped in no small way to encourage men, who are notoriously slow to get checked, to visit their doctor for a regular check-up which could identify and lead to earlier and better treatment if cancer became an issue for them.

Recovery Haven, Kerry’s Cancer Support House,  is making a major effort to inform those who are living with cancer that the services they offer at their premises in Tralee will benefit them.  Since Recovery Haven opened their doors four years ago over 600 people  have visited their premises.

Recovery Haven is hoping that the business community of Kerry will connect with the work they do and help to fund their cancer support services. “For the first time we are approaching  the business people of Kerry to make a contribution to support our work, all of which  is free for those dealing with cancer,” said Dermot Crowley, Recovery Haven Treasurer.

“To date our main fundraising has come from individual generosity from the people of Kerry and community events like threshing events and pub quizzes etc. organised by our fundraising committee”.

Following  a major contribution from The Ring of Kerry Charity Cycle event last year Recovery Haven has purchased a second house close to their existing premises. Now they are planning to expand the service into other county towns to bring the services closer to those who need them.

Mairéad O’Sullivan, acting manager explained; “At the moment we use a temporary premises  in Killarney two days a month and our volunteer listeners and our oncology nurse are present. We also visit other towns in Kerry but we want to expand this outreach work when we can fund it”.

Recovery Haven is largely maintained by the work of 90 committed volunteers They include trained listeners, fundraisers, therapists,  gardeners and board members.  Recovery Haven has  just two staff members – An oncology nurse and a senior administrator (they are helped by community employment secretarial support).

Chairman of Recovery Haven Dan Collins said, “The launch of Recovery Haven’s corporate brochure is very important at this time because there are many more people who will want to avail of our services when they hear and read  the positive accounts expressed by people who have used our services to date.   We want to make these cancer support programmes at Recovery Haven, which have been audited and approved by the Irish Cancer Society,  available to all  and they are free to those living with cancer and their families or carers.”

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