Community raises 20k for sick marcella

A Cootehill woman who is fighting breast cancer in New York is due to undergo a double masectomy within the next 10 days. A major fundraising drive in Cavan has already raised close to €20,000 to help offset the financial cost of the treatment for Marcella Hall (35) who has been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.

Originally from Drumnaveil in Cootehill, the bar and restaurant worker has been living and working in the Queens area for the past 12 years. She was diagnosed with the illness about eight months ago. Her brother Michael, who works in Agrigear in Bailieborough, told the Celt this week that Marcella has already undergone a course of chemotherapy.
The fundraising effort designed to raise money for Marcella’s ongoing medical treatment/living expenses in New York has taken place over a number of weeks and one of the events included the fundraising dance in the Errigal County House Hotel last Friday night, which proved to be a great success (see page 42).
Approximately €10,000 was raised from that event, which also featured a raffle.
Over €6,400 was generated from a walk a few weeks previously. The remainder of the money has come in from donation cards, which were generously supported in various businesses in the town and surrounding areas in the hinterland.
The fundraising committee includes Marian McGahan, Geraldine Geraghty, Lorraine Mullen, Phyllis Mullen, Helen McCann and Julie McCann. All the money will go to the Marcella Hall Fund.
Geraldine Geraghty told The Anglo-Celt this week that the committee would like to thank everyone for their generosity. “We are overwhelmed with all the support. The money is still coming in and people are very good,” she said.
Geraldine added that when they banded together as a fundraising team, they never envisaged that they would raise such a staggering amount of money. It is expected that the final figure will easily top the €20,000 mark.