1974 Lions rugby legends Willie John McBride and JPR Williams along with fellow members of the Wooden Spoon Charity were on hand for the opening of the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children’s playroom at Daisy Lodge recently in Newcastle, County Down.
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1974 British and Irish Legends JJ Williams, Andy Irvine, JPR Williams, Willie-John McBride, Phil Bennett and Gareth Edwards reveal the £54,000 donation by Wooden Spoon Ulster. They money was used to fund the playroom at Cancer Fund for Children’s Daisy Lodge short break facility in Newcastle for families affected by cancer. Also pictured is the charity’s CEO Gillian Creevy.[/caption]
The Wooden Spoon donated £54k to the leading local children’s cancer charity to fund the playroom at the short break facility which recently opened at the foothills of the Mourne Mountains in County Down.
The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children is the leading local cancer charity that provides practical, financial and therapeutic support to children, young people and teenagers living with cancer, and their families, and it also provides support to children whose parent or carer has been diagnosed with cancer through our Young Shoulders Programme.
The new facility enables the charity to provide free short breaks to up to 500 families per year affected by cancer in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Wooden Spoon is one of the largest funders of respite and medical treatment centres, sensory enhancement therapeutic facilities, specialist playgrounds, sports activity areas, and community-based programmes in the UK.
The 1974 Lions aka “The Invincibles” are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their famous tour in South Africa and took time out from their busy schedule to visit Daisy Lodge to see for themselves how the donated funds have helped. Willie was joined by fellow rugby legends such as JPR Williams and Gareth Edwards.
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Gillian Creevy with Lions legends Gareth Edwards, Willie John McBride, JPR Williams and Wooden Spoon Chairman Peter Wood. The rugby legends were in Ulster to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the famous 1974 Tour to South Africa and to open Cancer Fund for Children’s playroom at the Daisy Lodge short break centre in Newcastle which was funded by Wooden Spoon Ulster.[/caption]
Unveiling the plaque at the opening of the playroom, Willie McBride said: “We are delighted to be here to see what a difference the money donated has made. We cannot cure cancer but hopefully this playroom in this wonderfully relaxing short break centre will make life for children and teenagers battling the disease a bit more bearable.”
Wooden Spoon regional chairman Peter Wood, who was present to oversee the opening of the playroom, added that it was an honour to be able to help young people get the most out of their short break.
Cancer Fund for Children CEO, Gillian Creevy added: “We can’t thank Wooden Spoon enough for this marvellous donation. It’s the gift that will just keep on giving for families facing the devastation of cancer. This playroom will provide endless hours of fun and make a young person’s short break all the more special.”
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Every week in Northern Ireland, three children, teenagers or young adults, aged between 0-24 years old, are diagnosed with cancer – Cancer Fund for Children works with around 350 families at any given time. The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children understands the devastating impact a cancer diagnosis and treatment can have on the whole family and that beyond the essential clinical care there is a family life that needs to be rebuilt at home and in the community. Daisy Lodge, new Therapeutic Short Break Centre, supports the whole family in a 16,000 sq. ft. purpose built therapeutic and wellbeing centre in Newcastle, Co. Down, dedicated to families nursing a child with cancer.
Daisy Lodge opened to families on 14 April and will be able to provide free short breaks for up to 500 families a year. The facility features six-double family suites, four therapy suites, a range of age appropriate play centres, two lounge areas, a restaurant, ‘home’ cinema and safe outdoor play areas
In addition the new centre will allow Cancer Fund for Children to provide short breaks to families affected by childhood cancer across the Island of Ireland.
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