Leeds United and Republic of Ireland soccer star Gary Kelly yesterday paid tribute to his sister Mandy who died from breast cancer by opening a €1.5 million cancer support service in his home town of Drogheda.
The centre provides free holistic and complementary therapies for patients living with cancer and for their families and has the support of doctors in the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
His sister was just 35 when she died in 1998 and she left behind her husband Declan Weldon and three children, who are now aged 18, 12 and 11.
"Cancer was something very new for our family and we didn't know a lot about it. We never thought she'd pass away, we thought she'd get cured," Gary said yesterday. Her death made her family decide to do something to help other families in similar situations.
"Every second person you meet in Drogheda knows someone with it or has had it, and I hope that this centre will help take people's minds off it, even if just for a few hours at a time," he added.
The complementary services available free of charge at the drop-in centre include counselling, relaxation, aromatherapy, yoga and tai chi.
Gary donated the €1 million takings from his testimonial match towards the project.
Last year 4,000 people who had been diagnosed with cancer were seen at clinics in the Lourdes Hospital compared to less than 2,000 five years ago. A large number are routine return visits because more than half those diagnosed with cancer are cured.
After his testimonial match between Leeds Utd and Glasgow Celtic, €750,000 was spent on purchasing the detached redbrick two-storey house that has been completely refurbished and was formally opened yesterday by Gary and the Minister for Communications, the Marine and Natural Resources Mr Ahern. Gary's €1 million contribution was matched by local businesses.