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Magazine article about Anthony
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Coping With Cancer - Help Is On
Hand
Manus Martin is an EOI based in Richmond Chambers JobCentre in Derry. In
May his ten-year-old son Anthony was diagnosed as suffering from
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer. Manus tells of some of the effects of
this illness and highlights the great work being done by local cancer
charities to help children and families to cope with this disease.
Only about 80 children per year in the whole of the UK suffer from this
illness and about one or two from Northern Ireland. This is a very
aggressive form of cancer, not dissimilar to leukaemia, and the
chemotherapy used to treat it is the same. Fortunately the prognosis
for this disease is a 70% to 80% cure rate. However this involves three
years of, at times, very aggressive and grueling chemotherapy. Words
cannot describe the devastating effects this illness has had on Anthony
and our family. During the time we have been very fortunate to be
supported by a number of local charities. In fact I would say we could
not have coped this far without the help of these groups. Sergent
Cancer Care gives practical financial and emotional support to children
and their families. The charity has a house at the Royal Victoria
Hospital which as we live in Derry, we have used on quite a number of
occasions. Shine A Light is a small locally based charity which helps
children and families to try and forget their illness by organizing
trips and outing. We spent a very peaceful and enjoyable week in a
beautiful holiday cottage in Kesh at a time when we really needed the
break. The charity is run by voluntary organizer Billy McGrory who can
be contacted on 9073 9868. Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children
provides practical support via, amongst other things, a holiday home in
Newcastle and a Youth support group. Again we were very glad of their
support and assistance. The charity can be contacted via Catherine
Murnin on 9187 4020. MacMillan Cancer Relief is a well-known UK-wide
Cancer Charity. The charity has two nurses attached to the Royal and
they provide much needed guidance with the medical aspects of Cancer.
Their fundraising contact is Paul Sweeney, telephone 9066 1166. Next
time you are looking for an excuse to party, perhaps you could turn it
into a fund raising occasion for these wonderful charities. For the more
energetic maybe you could consider sponsored walks, runs, parachute
jumps or anything at all to help. I can be contacted on 7127 2821
(office) or 7136 1449 (home). Anthony continues to respond well to his
treatments, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. |
Anthony's legacy
lives on online From the Derry
Journal
It has been four years since 10-years-old Anthony Martin from Pennyburn
lost his battle with Leukaemia, but his devoted parents Manus and
Majella are determined that his memory will live on so that other
families facing this devastating illness will know support is available.
Part of that support is ensure that cancer charities the Northern
Ireland Cancer Fund for Children and the Northern Ireland Leukaemia
Research Fund are kept in the hearts and minds of the public. According
to Manus, it was therefore important to him that when a website was
being designed in memory of his beloved son that reference be made to
these charities. "When Anthony was sick we got a lot of support from an
online group the NHL (Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma) Cyber Family, which is run
by a Canadian man Greg Dafoe. "Greg helped us design a website for
Anthony, but he also hosts a photo gallery on the support site
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cyberfamily where
there is a page dedicated to our son's memory. "Usually on this page
Greg would put a flag denoting the country where the person comes from,
but instead of getting into the tricky politics of Northern Ireland we
asked could he instead post the logos of these two very important
charities. "He agreed, and also linked directly to their own websites so
people visiting have a chance to donate money where they can." Anthony's
website is a moving tribute to a child who was full of life and fun and
while it must be still be emotional for the Martin family to look at
pictures of their beloved son before illness took over all their lives,
they say they can think of no better tribute than to help others.
"Anthony was never downhearted or sad about his illness. He was full of
life, so it is nice to do something so positive in his memory," Manus
said. Claire Allan Reporter Derry Journal Direct line: 02871272256 Fax:
02871272260 Email:
claire.allan@derryjournal.com
www.derryjournal.com |
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