‘Other than the bruising, I was symptom-free’

Cancer survivor, Tonia Lawlor, is one of many people to benefit from services funded by money raised on Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day.

Tonia, a mother with two young children, living in Dublin, relied on the Irish Cancer Society’s volunteer driver service after she was diagnosed with leukaemia in December 2016.

“The driver service really helped a lot in keeping chemotherapy appointments at the hospital. There was always a driver available and the whole day was reserved for me.

"The people providing the society’s voluntary driving service knew that I had some type of cancer so that helped a lot. If I wanted to talk they would listen and maybe respond once or twice.

"But if I did not want to talk, there was a comfortable silence,” she said.

When Tonia was told she had leukaemia she felt like a bomb went off in her head followed by an avalanche. She had noticed she had a lot of bruising on her body and thought she might need some iron supplements.

“Other than the bruising, I was symptom-free so when I was diagnosed with leukaemia on December 21 I was really shocked.”

Once diagnosed, she had to start treatment immediately because there was internal bleeding: “I am cancer free at the moment, thank God, but I have been told it can come back at any time.”

Stephanie Powell, 65, a breast cancer survivor from Newbridge, Co Kildare, is the face of Daffodil day 2018 that takes place on March 23.

“In 2011 I found a breast lump, and six months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I did not get the lump checked right away because my younger sister was unwell. I did not tell anybody,” she explains.

After surgery and chemotherapy, Stephanie began a six-year drug treatment programme that has just ended.

“I was delighted to be the face of Daffodil Day because some of the money collected is spent on research and research is what has me here today. Research gives people like me hope and without hope we have nothing.”

Stephanie, who has two daughters and four grandchildren, is “doing great” and delighted to be able to continue leading an active life.

Broadcaster, Miriam O’Callaghan, who lost her sister to cancer, helped launched Daffodil Day.

“I lost my precious sister, Anne, who was just 33 years old when she died,” said Miriam, when she urged people to dig deep this Daffodil Day to raise €4m. Last year’s fund raising event raised €3.6m.

Irish Cancer Society chief executive, Averil Power, said only 2% of the society’s funding comes from the State:

“We are hugely dependent on the generosity of the public to fund vital services such as our night nurse, volunteer drivers and freephone cancer nurseline.”

Boots Ireland are supporting Daffodil Day for the first time this year.

Over the past five years, Boots employees in 86 stores throughout the country have raised more than €1.2m for the society’s night nursing service.