Kildare woman urges support for cancer patient services this Daffodil Day

A county Kildare woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer during the pandemic has urged the public to support Daffodil Day on Friday March 25.

Mags Shelton had been busy enjoying a weekend away when she happened to notice a lump on her breast. Mags was shocked when a month later, she was diagnosed with HER2+ and ER+ breast cancer.

During her treatment, Mags and her partner of eighteen years Jason decided to get married “It was always something we wanted to do but always put it on the long finger. Then when I was diagnosed it made us both realise that life is just too short so we decided to just go for it. We had to postpone twice due to Covid-19 but eventually in April 2021 we were married with six guests present.”

Mags has since finished her chemotherapy and had her last surgery at the end of 2021.

Mags is delighted to be supporting Daffodil Day 2022 and actively encourages others to be aware of their own bodies “Being young doesn’t mean you will never get cancer, it is so important to self-check every month. If you find something, don’t be afraid and don’t put it off. I think my fast acting really did save my life.”

On top of supporting life-changing cancer research, the Irish Cancer Society provides vital services to patients and their families in Kildare each year, including supporting nearly 550 free counselling sessions, over 205 nights of in-home Night Nursing for patients in their final days, and more than 770 Volunteer Driving lifts to get patients safely to and from their hospital appointments in 2021.

As Daffodil Day returns to the streets of Ireland for the first time since 2019 on March 25, the Irish Cancer Society is calling on the public to take part in any way they can to show solidarity and support for anyone affected by cancer. 

Every day cancer takes so much from so many families and Daffodil Day is a chance to come together and take something back, giving hope and raising funds so that one day cancer will take no more.  

People are being asked to take part and take back from cancer in any way they can this Daffodil Day. As well as donating at Cancer.ie and volunteering to help fundraise, they can purchase items from the Daffodil Day online shop and take part in a steps challenge.  

Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power said: “We are so excited to be able to get out on the streets again to see the amazing support the people of Ireland show to anyone affected by cancer. Daffodil Day is such a special and hopeful day for our entire community. Throughout the pandemic we’ve been so lucky that people have found innovative ways to support us but we are looking forward to seeing Ireland turn yellow once again on March 25.

“Daffodil Day is our most important fundraising event of the year and the money raised goes directly to funding crucial supports including our Support Line, free counselling, our Night Nurses to provide end of life care, and financial support for families of children affected by cancer. Along with these services, the money raised on Daffodil Day allows us to support life-changing cancer research.”

For more information about Daffodil Day visit www.Cancer.ie/DaffodilDay.