Thousands for Children's Cancer charity

The Children’s Cancer Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital is endeavouring to build two new isolation rooms onto the existing haematology ward and is currently trying to raise £800,000 for the project which is expected to start soon.

Last Thursday the Unit’s charity Administrator Jacqueline Wilkinson was in Cloughmills to receive a cheque for just over £5,500, the result of a huge effort by Orla McMullan and family, Steven and Donna Magill, (Magill Butchers), Donal Martin, a Community activist, and residents of the area.

It was Steven, Donna and Donal who came up with the idea of fund-raising for two charities via the Belfast May Day marathon and approached Orla and Nicola Lorimer and her partner Phillip Tafts to benefit from the initiative.

Orla, whose four-year-old daughter, Niamh, is recovering from Leukaemia, had already established a link with the Children’s Cancer Unit while Nicola and Philip’s chosen charity was S.A.N.D.S. the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity. Their contribution will be made at a later date.

Orla raised the majority of the money for the Cancer Unit from events she organised in Loughgiel with the remainder coming from the Marathon which also benefitted Nicola and Phillip.

Supporters of the respective charities pitched in to raise funds and the result has delighted everyone. More than 40 runners took part competing in various stages. Steven Magill was the only one who completed the full distance. The contribution of all who attended Magill’s was praised by Jacqueline Wilkinson.

She explained that her Cancer charity remains as the primary fund use to help support the haematology ward which provides a specialised play nurse, nursery care, and the support of a medical researcher, counselling and assistance to families and care for patients in the Fund’s dedicated unit.

“This contribution will be used to care for children in the province. It includes funding for equipment and resources such as staff, training and research,” Jacqueline said.