‘We feel that we are passing on the goodwill’
Over €38,000 was raised by the loved ones of the late Rhona McKiernan for three groups who provided care for her. Rhona died from a rare form of cancer on February 28, 2023, aged just six years.
In a prefab outside Cavan General Hospital, those who knew and helped provide care for Rhona gathered with her parents Ross McKiernan and Sheila Reilly last Wednesday, July 26, to present the cheque worth €38,190.
Her parents completed the recent Camino Walk in Killeshandra to raise funds for Cavan and Monaghan Palliative Care Fund, Cavan General Hospital Paediatric Ward and Cuan Cancer Support Centre. Each of the three organisations made Rhona as comfortable as possible throughout her diagnosis, for which her parents are very grateful.
“Without them we wouldn’t have been able to come home and give her the level of care she received, particularly in the last four or five months of her life,” Sheila said.
“That was really important to us and to her because she was very clear that she wanted to come home to Cavan.”
Sheila specifically mentioned the care Doctor Wilhelm Freiherr Von Hornstein, the palliative care team and the paediatric unit provided for her daughter.
“Thanks to them we had an open door between Redhills, our home, and the hospital here. That gave Rhona the security of knowing that anytime she wanted to, she could come in here.”
Sheila mentioned the “difficult conversations had on those corridors”, which were always delivered in an honest, compassionate way by the staff who were “full of respect” for Rhona.
“We are so grateful for that,” she said.
Cuan Cancer Support is a support and wellness group for patients and families who have been affected by cancer. Rhona received reflexology treatment from the organisation, who also supported the family.
“Cuan gave us incredible support as a family, not just Rhona, but all of us as a family.”
“Once I rang them, I knew we would be looked after,” Sheila said.
For these reasons, Sheila said it was “so important” for the family to fundraise for the organisations.
“It’s lovely to come here and do this in Rhona’s name.
“We feel that we are passing on the goodwill that we received in those past few months,” she said, adding that they receive “great solace” knowing the money will be used to help others during “really, really difficult times.”
“She’s in our hearts every day obviously but this is one way for us to keep her memory alive.”