Ukrainian family rebuilds life in Cavan after tragedy
Karina Sarkisova and her family arrived in Ireland in 2022 after fleeing the war in Ukraine. Like many others, they were seeking safety and a fresh start. Just as they were beginning to rebuild their lives from the ground up in Cavan town, their eldest daughter Alla was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Now they share their story of sorrow and resilience.
“We want people to know they are not alone in their grief and life continues,” Karina says.
After initially staying with friends in Dublin, Karina, her husband Volodymyr, and their daughters Alla and Sofiia settled in Cavan. The Sarkisovas quickly integrated into the local community. The children went to school and the parents enrolled in English and self-employment classes, wanting to start an online fashion shop.
They connected with other Ukrainians through the local “Palyanytsya” group, named after a traditional Ukrainian bread that symbolises hospitality and community.
But just as the family found their feet, tragedy struck. On June 15, 2023, their 17-year-old daughter Alla collapsed on the street and didn’t regain consciousness for a while. She was brought to Beaumont hospital where Alla was diagnosed with a stage four brain tumour. This came as a complete shock, the mother recalls: “She had never even been in hospital before." Doctors gave her just two months to live; Alla lived for another ten.
During her illness, the family received an outpouring of support from people in both Cavan and Dublin. Anna and Richard, local residents, helped them find accommodation near the hospital for the first three months of treatment. After that, the family spent what time they had left travelling around Ireland, especially to the coast, which Alla loved. The family are grateful to palliative care nurse Sinead Hoey - "an incredible woman with a heart of gold" - who was with Alla until the end.
Alla passed away on April 18, 2024. She was only 18-years-old. The family describes those final months with her as both the most difficult and most meaningful of their lives.
“We faced the unthinkable - we lost her. This pain has left a mark on our hearts forever.”
Following her death, Karina and her husband turned to work as a way to cope with grief. “We realised the only way not to fall apart was to keep going,” she said. “Behind every business there's a story. Ours is one of faith, pain, love - and a search for new meaning.”
Family dream
In May 2024, they applied for Ireland’s Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme. After six months of developing their business plan, attending interviews, and securing approval, they officially launched their business comprising of a women’s clothing boutique, sourcing items from Turkey and Italy, mascot entertainment and a spray tan service.
“It was always the family dream to run a family business,” Sofiia says. The 14-year-old loves modeling for the fashion store and helping with the social media accounts.
A big polar bear costume, initially intended to hand out flyers for the store, soon became a popular attraction. Locals began inviting the character - worn by Karina’s husband - to birthday parties, communions, and school events. This unexpected demand led to the creation of the second venture: “Pookie Bear Cavan” currently has nearly 800 followers on facebook. The spray tanning service is part of the fashion shop on the second floor of a Cavan beauty salon in Bridge Street where other Ukrainian women also provide hair and nail services across from their Ukrainian hub.
The family says they are forever grateful for the support they received from the Irish community during their most difficult moments. “Today, we are trying to rebuild our lives and give something back to the community that welcomed us,” says Karina.
To people who are going through something similar she wants to reach out and say: “You are not alone.”