Working life:  Noelle Ryan, founder of Oesophageal Cancer Fund

6am

I’m an early riser — usually the first to leave the house for the gym or to walk the dog. Exercise energises me for the day.

9am

We’ve a small office in Stillorgan, however, at the moment I’m working from home as I’ve given the office over to our volunteers who are flat out preparing for Lollipop Day, our annual fundraiser, taking place on February 23 to 24.

10am

I link in with our events and fundraising manager. Currently, we’re urgently trying to source a premises — 2,000sq ft warehouse — to assemble our Lollipop Day fundraising packs for distribution. We need it for three months so we’re making contact with anyone we know involved in property who might be able to help. Our packs are distributed nationwide to the likes of pharmacists, GPs, or indeed anyone on our database.

12 noon

A key function of my role is to advise the public how their donations help fund vital research into this disease, which can be aggressive and resistant to standard treatment. For instance, the OCF funded the establishment of The National Barrett’s Oesophagus Register. This is a national database of patients with a condition known as Barrett’s Oesophagus which can develop into cancer. Patients on the register are monitored, which really helps with early pick-up of this cancer. We also fund a biobank where stored tissues can be used for research.

2pm

I touch base with clinicians overseeing a five-year trial OCF are supporting — it’s examining best treatment practices for people with oesophageal cancer. We’re keen to get latest updates to bring to the media as part of awareness-raising in the run-up to Lollipop Day.

4pm

If we get a call from someone in need of support, for example, on foot of a diagnosis, it takes priority. Patient support is sadly lacking when it comes to oesophageal cancer, even though it causes significant quality of life issues. Our volunteers do a fantastic job in this regard. OCF was set up by a group of school friends, including myself, who lost a friend to oesophageal cancer when she was 40. We had known her since she was four.

6.30pm

I break for dinner. My family are very patient — they’ve been living with the frenetic preparations around Lollipop Day for years.

- To order Lollipop packs or volunteer, log onto lollipopday.ie/get-involved.php