FAMILIES and friends got together and released balloons to remember those who have passed away from cancer ahead of Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning in aid of Our Lady’s Hospice Blackrock last week.
In an emotional event, dozens gathered to commemorate those who have lost their lives to the disease.
One of those at the event was Paula Kelly, from Dun Laoghaire, who suffers from breast cancer.
Paula, among many others, was there to support Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice, which helps fund the hospice movement in their vital work in caring for people in their local communities.
Audrey Houlihan, the CEO of Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services at Harold’s Cross and Blackrock, said: “There is continuing pressure on already strained hospice services.
“The number of patients being admitted to hospice facilities is increasing and the demand for homecare services is also on the rise.
“Each local hospice across the country has a crucial role to play in caring for the people in their community but they face serious funding shortages. Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice together with Bewley’s has been raising much needed funds for the hospice movement for 24 years. We want to thank people for their generosity.”
On the day people shared a cup of Bewley’s coffee and celebrities Mario Rosenstock and others including Davy Fitzgerald, Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson, Imelda May, Gabriel Byrne, Baz and Nancy Ashmawy and Eamonn Coughlan joined in to back the hospice campaign
This year marked Ireland’s 24th Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice since the major annual fundraiser first started in 1993 with some €32m raised to date.
Last year, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services – Harold’s Cross and Blackrock – raised over €407,000 through 1,123 coffee mornings.
Bewley’s provides all the coffee free of charge nationwide and all money raised locally goes directly to local hospice care services.
Mario Rosenstock said: “I’ve long been a supporter of the hospice. Over the years I’ve seen at first-hand the work they do and the care they give. Each and every hospice patient is treated with wonderful kindness and dignity at such a vulnerable time.
“To continue giving this care, hospice services across the country need vital funds and Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice is the one day when everyone can get involved and help them to do just that.”
In 2015, approximately 3,665 people were cared for by Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services with over 610 admissions to Harold’s Cross alone, up 38 per cent on the past five years. In addition, over 1,360 patients were cared for by homecare hospice teams. Money raised from Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice will go towards essential services such as homecare nurses, new equipment and development of new hospice care facilities.
Mark Saunders, Brand Director with Bewley’s, said: “Ireland’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Hospice is an incredibly important and vital campaign that Bewley’s has been very proud to support as sole sponsor since our very first cup of coffee was poured for hospice over two decades ago. This unique bond has gone from strength to strength with over €32 million raised for hospice care nationwide to date – that’s over 16 million cups of coffee. But we need many more cups of coffee to be brewed for hospice.”
