ICS and Éist offer free counselling services

THE Irish Cancer Society has partnered with Éist Cancer Support Centre to offer 445 cancer patients, survivors and their family members in Carlow free counselling services.

Edel Shovlin, acting CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, and Mary Quinn, head of service operations for the Irish Cancer Society, presented Lorna McGrath, Éist Cancer Support Centre service manager, with a cheque for €24,500 for the centre to deliver free counselling services.

Éist Cancer Support Centre is one of 24 local cancer support centres across the country that the Irish Cancer Society is partnering with to provide free in-person counselling. Last year, the Irish Cancer Society’s free nationwide counselling service provided almost 13,000 sessions through cancer support centres across the country.

Aside from counselling, Éist Cancer Support Centre offers complementary therapies, such as reflexology, manual lymphatic drainage, survivorship programmes, wellbeing classes, men’s, women’s and children’s support groups and a bereavement group.

In addition to offering these in-person counselling sessions, the Irish Cancer Society provides free remote counselling across the country.

Mary Quinn said: “We simply can’t be there for those patients and families without the generosity and support of the Irish public. Every €60 we can raise is a free counselling session for a patient or their loved one. Every euro of your support will help make a difference. That’s why we’re asking for your support this Daffodil Day, Friday 20 March.”