Families take to the water to raise funds for cancer charity that offered such support
Two neighbouring Galway families who shared the heartbreak of losing a teenager to cancer in the same week – came together to also share a commitment to raise funds for the charity that helped both of them in their darkest hours.
Aidan Scully died of cancer in early 2020 – the same week that Siofra Collins also died from the same disease. Both of them were of a similar age and living in Moycullen.
Both of their families were supported at their lowest points by, among many others, Cancer Care West – and they shared a resolve to give a little back in return at the start of a new year.
That’s why the came together to take part in the New Year's Swim – and between them raised an amazing €15,275 for the cancer charity.
And last week, a number of the family members came together to present the proceeds to Dave O’Donnell of Cancer Care West.
Late last year, the Scully family from Forest Hills in Moycullen spoke about how, during Aidan’s illness, they turned to Cancer Care West and the Galway Hospice for support.
At Cancer Care West, Aidan, his parents Declan and Ailish and siblings Eoin, Niamh, Sinead, Ciaran and Kevin availed of the counselling services which they found extremely helpful as they coped with his diagnosis and treatment.
Aidan also availed of the cancer rehab physiotherapy service to help him stay strong- and following Aidan’s passing, the family sought bereavement counselling with the Cancer Care West team they had come to know so well.
At times Ailish saw the Galway support centre as a home from home as different family members came and went for appointments.
“Declan and I want to say a big thank you to Dr Helen Greally and her team,” said Ailish.
“They have been an amazing support for us throughout this time, helping us all deal with the trauma of Aidan’s diagnosis and his untimely death,” she said.
Their story was unfortunately all too familiar to the Collins family from Clooniffe, whose daughter Síofra died after a ten-month journey with cancer – leaving her parents Gabriel and Neasa and brothers Cian and Jack grief-stricken and bereft.
But neither family forgot who was there for them when they needed them most – and that’s why they took to the icy waters to remember their loved ones and those who helped them through the darkest of days.