24/02/2026
Cancer Society partners with Hope Cancer Support Centre to partially fund free counselling to cancer patients in County Wexford
Photo Caption: Mary Quinn, Head of Services, Irish Cancer Society, Mairead Fanning, Chairperson and Margo Kehoe, Board Member, Hope Cancer Support Centre; Edel Shovlin, Acting CEO, Irish Cancer Society
19 February: The Irish Cancer Society and the Hope Cancer Support Centre, Enniscorthy have partnered to fund 488 free counselling sessions across the County Wexford area.
The Irish Cancer Society presented €26,840 to the Hope Cancer Support Centre, partially funding free counselling services. These free services can be availed by cancer patients, survivors and their family members.
In addition to free counselling, the Hope Cancer Support Centre also provides the following free services: Child and Adolescent Counselling, Reflexology, Lymphoedema/Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Support and Guidance, Telephone Support, Bereavement Support, Peer Support Groups, Programmes/Workshops, Meditation and Mindfulness.
The Irish Cancer Society provides free remote counselling across the country, and by partnering with a network of 24 local cancer support centres, funding is provided to deliver free in-person counselling at a community level. In 2025, the Irish Cancer Society’s free nationwide counselling service provided almost 13,000 sessions through cancer support centres across the country.
Mary Quinn, Head of Service Operations at the Irish Cancer Society said:
“1 in 2 of us will receive a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime, and when we do, we deserve the best possible support to help us process and come to terms with our diagnosis. On top of the physical impact of cancer treatment, we know the emotional and psychological toll cancer can take on patients and their loved ones during and beyond their diagnosis.
Providing free counselling to patients, survivors and their family members is a crucial service for those affected by cancer. We are delighted to partner with Hope Cancer Support Centre to deliver these services in Wexford. As well as offering our own remote counselling services, through our 24 local cancer support centre partners, the Irish Cancer Society funds vital free counselling services on the ground across Ireland. 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 his Daffodil Day, Friday 20th March.”
Mairead Fanning, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Hope Cancer Support Centre said:
“We are grateful to receive funding from the Irish Cancer Society, and this combined with local fundraising enables the Hope Cancer Support Centre provide this vital service to people affected by cancer within County Wexford.”
To continue to provide these counselling sessions, donations can be made to the Hope Cancer Support Centre at https://www.hopesupportcentre.ie/getting-involved/donate/
or to the Irish Cancer Society at www.cancer.ie
For confidential advice, support and information on any cancer issue, contact the Irish Cancer Society Support Line on Freephone 1800 200 700.
For further information, contact:
Irish Cancer Society Communications: communications@irishcancer.ie / 0876453867
Hope Cancer Support Centre: info@hopesupportcentre.ie 053 9238555
About the Irish Cancer Society:
The Irish Cancer Society is a community of patients, survivors, volunteers, supporters, health and social care professionals and researchers. Established in 1963, the Irish Cancer Society is the largest voluntary sector funder of life-saving cancer research in Ireland, provides up to date and accessible cancer information to raise public awareness of cancer, delivers a range of free services to support patients and their families during and beyond cancer, and advocates for and raises awareness of cancer issues at government level.
About the Hope Cancer Support Centre:
The Hope Cancer Support Centre provides a range of services to people whose lives have been changed by a cancer diagnosis. The services on offer, which are free to everyone, are provided by a team of professionals and volunteers in an empathetic manner placing the client at the centre of everything we do.
Our mission is to:
• Offer practical and emotional support to people with a cancer diagnosis and their supporters and carers, from the time of their diagnosis, through their treatments and afterwards.
• To ensure a caring, confidential and professional service is delivered in a safe and peaceful environment.
• To strive to improve our performance by driving quality and evidence-based practice in all our support activities.
Our goals are to:
• Provide the best possible supports to people with a cancer diagnosis and their loved ones.
• Reduce the impact of a cancer diagnosis through the provision of supports that are evidence based and that adhere to best practices.
• Ensure the equality of access to all people wishing to engage with our services in a timely manner and be supported in the manner that suits them best.
• Strive to improve our performance by listening to our client feedback and responding.
• Strengthen all we do by working as a team, ensuring the focus is on client needs, while complying with legal and regulatory requirements.
More information can be found at our website: www.hopesupportcentre.ie,
by phoning 053 9238555 or emailing: info@hopesupportcentre.ie
