Locals rally to give terminally ill Roseann a fairytale wedding
Roseann Kennedy, aged 37, was walked down the aisle by her three-year-old son JJ when she married Justin in Co Offaly last week.
Since being diagnosed with cancer, the Shinrone native has been overwhelmed by the goodwill she has encountered while facing into what will, in all likelihood, be her last Christmas.
In 2012, Roseann, who worked for almost a decade as a bar manager at the County Arms Hotel in Birr, completed the Dublin marathon.
Later that year, a pain in her arm led to the discovery of cancerous tumours on her back and neck. The cancer spread to her bones and, despite three different courses of chemotherapy, her condition continued to deteriorate. “It’s palliative care from here on out,” said Roseann. “There’s no point getting angry about it because there is nothing you can do.”
Although harbouring no anger, Roseann is devastated she won’t be around for her son and plans to video herself reading some of his favourite books. “It upsets me to leave him behind,” she said.
“As long as he remembers me like this though — the doctors think it is going to be pretty quick anyway, they are expecting a stroke or something like that to just do it,” said Roseann.
Upon learning of her illness, Roseann’s employers at the County Arms Hotel set out to help her fulfil some of her dreams. They began by taking her to meet her favourite team, Munster, at Thomond Park. They also pooled their money to send Roseann and Justin on their dream holiday — a pre-wedding honeymoon in New York.
However, far from being a solemn occasion, the wedding was a joyous affair. Roseann’s sister Linda said: “There were no tears on the wedding day. People were really worried it was going to turn into a goodbye party — it was anything but.”
