if you know me or if you knew my Mum, it would mean a lot if you would consider this
this is a personal appeal for your support in raising awareness and funds for a new project by the Mercy Hospital Foundation
their mission is to promote the work of the hospital, to raise funds for vital equipment and help bring new treatments and services to the Mercy
the Mercy Hospital Foundation are a non-profit charity — they are located in Cork, their work serves the people of Cork
2 years ago, the Mercy Hospital Foundation created and funded a new role at the Mercy Hospital in Cork
this person is known as a ‘Psycho-Oncologist’ — her work is the idea that needs our support
the idea behind Psycho-Oncology is to offer a dedicated Therapist to support the mental health of cancer patients and their families
she provides emotional support, comforting and giving counsel to cancer patients and their families at every stage of the illness
this role is not the same as a Psychiatrist assessing you in a clinical manner and prescribing strong medications — it is different
the lady who does this work is similar to a Counsellor — her approach is humanistic, her work is tailored to the individual needs of each patient
until now, the Psycho-Oncologist role at the Mercy has been 100% funded by the Mercy Hospital Foundation
it is a new service, it is considered experimental — to date the HSE do not fund it
for 2 years the feedback has been extremely positive — this lady makes a real difference to the people of Cork
but the HSE funding is not there yet — so the Mercy need support to keep it going
this year I am asking your help in supporting this new and vital project, in memory of my Mum
our Mum’s name is Mary Veronica Adams, her friends called her Vera
she was an amazing lady, the heart of our family
it is her birthday on August 29th, she would have been 77 this year
mine was August 22nd, I have just turned 36
we used to celebrate them together, as one
our birthdays were never fancy, but I loved them
Dad would go to Blarney and get Chinese, Tung Sing or Golden Panda
Mum would make a birthday cake and butterfly buns
I would get 2 or 3 videos with my birthday money, later it was DVDs
we would watch them either side of Corrie, Mum’s favourite show
she was born in Cork in 1944, during a time of great hardship in Ireland
food was rationed until 1951, most families in Cork struggled back then
she was a Coughlan, the youngest of eight — Sheila, Derry, John, Bill, Noel, Irene, Brendan and Mum
they were raised in Ballyphehane, on Kent road
Mum left Ireland in 1960, for Crystal Palace in London
she did not want to leave Cork, but she did not have much choice
conditions in Ireland were not good at this time, especially for women
she was highly intelligent, but women in Ireland did not have the same access to education or employment
while living in the UK, Mum had 4 daughters with her first husband, our sisters Susan, Jackie, Deborah and Nicola
after her first marriage ended, she met our Dad, Stephen
they married and had 3 sons — Andrew, Jonathan and me
it is a very particular experience, growing up in Cardiff and Wycombe, knowing mostly Welsh or English, but living under the roof of an eccentric Cork woman
we did not have much money, we were always skint — but thanks to her wizardry we ate better than most families
my brothers and I were born in the 80s, in Wales and England, but reared on old time Cork dishes
when most families around us lived on stuff from freezer shops like Iceland, Mum was cooking dishes like bacon and cabbage, Irish stew, slow roast pork belly, smoked haddock, steak & kidney casserole and skirts & kidneys
this stuff might not sound very exciting to younger people, but for us this was soul food
we were very lucky, our meals were always made with fresh ingredients and cooked from scratch
the only dish we do not miss is liver and onions, that one was not nice
Mum was an excellent baker as well — she made soda bread, doughnuts and proper Irish scones routinely, like it was nothing
our family did not have a lot of money, but she managed everything so well that we had no idea
we wanted for nothing — every Birthday, Easter and Christmas was happy and special
she was the family’s accountant and historian, a skilled seamstress and home maker
Mum was always on standby for family and friends if they needed help, the fire was always lit (even in summer)
she was a fantastic story teller who could talk for Ireland, a joker who loved to laugh
our Mum was extremely cheeky and sort of fearless, as most Cork people are
in UK she met the likes of David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Prince Charles
she was friendly to each of them, but showed them the same respect she would a randomer on the street — no more, no less
in effect this meant Mum had the craic with them, poking fun at them as though they were ordinary blokes in a cafe, which they actually appreciated
our Mum was a real character, 5 foot tall yet somehow larger than life — spirited but kind, mischievous, extremely funny — the spirit of Cork manifest
we did not move to Ireland until I was 9, but through her Cork was always a big part of our lives
Mum and Dad first brought us to visit Cork in May 1990, we visited every summer after that
we really loved these visits — Cork was a lot nicer than the places we were living in UK
the places we lived before moving to Ireland were very crowded and built up, a lot of concrete and tarmac, a bit grim
on these trips to Cork, Mum made sure to introduce us to the good stuff — things like Irish dairy, crusty bread, Taytos, Cork style Battenbergs, Tanora and Kerrygold
some of that stuff is probably sold in England and Wales today, back then you just could not get it
she talked about Jackie Lennoxs often, we knew this chipper long before we set foot in Ireland — it was so exciting to finally visit this place
in total Mum spent 34 years of her life in England, Cyprus and Wales, before returning to Cork in July 1994 with my Dad, my brothers and I
our Mum was a really kind, thoughtful, loving and generous person
she really loved her children, her family and her friends — she always put everyone ahead of herself
she would always worry about us and protect us, her mission in life was to make sure we were always happy, healthy and safe
she had a hard life, but overcame every challenge and obstacle put in front of her and her family, achieving many things in her time with us
Mum fell ill at the end of December 2014, it was very sudden
she had a fever, then respiratory attack
she had been losing weight for a few months prior, but it coincided with advice she had taken on her diet
we honestly did not know what was happening, we did not see it coming
we thought it was Bronchitis, something she had trouble with before
she fought bravely and selflessly — she was in incredible pain, but she did not let us see it, as she did not want us to be upset
she declined hospice care and, through sheer force of will, her health improved — the doctors could not explain it
she beat the odds one more time and returned to the family home after 4 weeks, with her husband, daughters and sons around her
her only worries were for us, not herself, and to bring the family together again one last time
Mum passed away on the morning of February 9th 2015, in the Mercy Hospital
Mum was 70 when we lost her, I was 29
the Mercy took very good care of her, particularly the Nurses and Orderlies in Oncology
when Mum was sick, I was already attending counselling separately — I had some support to help me through it
but there was no dedicated service to support Mum or Dad, my brothers or my sisters
back then, the support that the Psycho-Oncologist now offers was provided informally, by the Nurses, the Orderlies and by Mum herself
they did so well
the work of Nurses is highly skilled, hospitals are always busy and resources always stretched
Nurses in particular are always rushed off of their feet — but they always made special time to care for Mum on a human level
these efforts by the Nurses and Orderlies were so important — they really humanised the hospital experience for Mum
on any given day, it was as though Mum had 3 or 4 extra children to entertain and comfort her
they talked to her, joked with her, made her laugh, gave compliments that made her smile, always made sure she felt safe and happy
the new Psycho-Oncologist role is important for this reason — it recognises the unseen work of the Nurses and Orderlies at the Mercy, the human side of hospital care
this person specifically supports the mental health of cancer patients and their partners, children, brothers, sisters and parents
she provides for the psychological, emotional, social and spiritual needs of every patient
nothing is forced or mandated — the Psycho-Oncologist is a human resource, her focus is talk therapies
whether newly diagnosed, receiving treatment, in remission or nearing death, she is there to take care of the mental health of patients and families
with her help, patients and their families are better able to process grief, to express what they are feeling, to manage their emotions and to better cope with the anxiety
with permission she will advocate and coordinate support for the patient, working with other agencies and services to make sure all needs are met
she supports patients who have difficulty coping with their diagnosis, with side-effects of medications and the adverse effects of cancer treatment
she takes care of people with phobias — if you are afraid of needles, Doctors, surgeries or the clinical environment, she will help you to cope
she does not push medications, however she does support patients with pain management, quality of sleep and stress
if a patient is suffering and needs relief, she will connect with Doctors to ensure they are aware and that the patient has timely access to remedies
these services are available to cancer patients and their partners, siblings, parents and children for as long as they are needed — her support is extensive
her role offers a listening ear, comfort, counsel and a support structure that otherwise was not consistently there
please believe me when I say, your money will not disappear into the ether
all funds raised here will specifically support this Psycho-Oncologist project, to keep it going until HSE funding is achieved
the Mercy Hospital Foundation are not a faceless and expensively operated mega charity
the Mercy Hospital Foundation are a non-profit charity — they are local, they serve the people of Cork
their work grows and improves what is available for us at the hospital, what they do is important
every donation here will make a difference, our contribution will count for so much more
if you would please consider donating and helping the Mercy with this idea, it would mean the world
if you cannot donate to this one I understand — the pandemic is going on a long time, money is tight and people are tired
there is much less charity happening in recent months, compared to last year — there is fatigue, things are beginning to creak
if you cannot donate today, please consider 'liking' and following the Mercy Hospital Foundation on Facebook, to support their work in future
please discuss the foundation with friends — the Mercy has taken care of Cork since 1857, yet they have fewer followers than most pubs, cafés and take aways
there is nothing wrong with supporting pubs, cafés and take aways — but why not support the Mercy as well
if you consider the role the Mercy has played in Cork, a county of half a million people — they deserve more than 8,000 followers
if you would like to raise funds for the Mercy in future, you can call them and they will tell you what the hospital is working on
the ladies who run it are really nice, their names are Deirdre and Nicola
in the beginning I was asking did they want a Nespresso machine or something — I am clueless
they were both so nice to talk to, they told me about their latest projects and this one made perfect sense
they will send you information, help you with paperwork and check in with you to make sure you have the support you need
this idea would not be possible if not for them
to give the effort a boost, I have asked my old work if they can help, if this effort is eligible for a charity program that they are doing
they have agreed to match all donations 1 for 1 — every euro donated here will be matched by them, up to a maximum of €8,500
now that I am aware of the Psycho-Oncology role, it hurts that this support was not quite there at the time
Mum never gave up on life — she declined hospice care and fought for her life, until the very end
but for those 6 weeks she knew — it was too advanced, it had traveled to different parts of her body
we cried often, in the corridors and at her bedside
Mum did not cry at all — she was far too busy being our Mum
from start to finish she put on a brave face for us, comforting and counselling all of us in her final days
we will always love Mum for that, how selfless she was — but it should not have to be this way
it hurts that Mum did not have much opportunity to say she is afraid, to talk about death, to find context and make peace with it
some day everyone in Ireland will know this ‘Psycho-Oncology’ role, its importance to cancer patients and their families will be common knowledge
today is not the day — but what we do here would be a step towards it
if you are sensitive to mental health, if you advocate for it
if you are a friend of Pieta, Samaritans and the mentally ill
if you have ever attended a Counselling session and felt its relief
if you have ever witnessed cancer burn through family or friend, if it has taken someone from you as well
if you or someone you love ever received care at the Mercy, if they took good care of you
if you knew my Mum, if you ever experienced her kindness and enjoyed her humour
if you are from Ballyphehane, if you knew the Coughlans of Kent Road
if you know me from Blarney or Tower, Whitechurch, Rathpeacon, Blackpool, Ballincollig, Douglas, Bishopstown or Glanmire
if you are a friend from the market towns — Clonakilty, Mallow and Fermoy
if you are a friend from Tralee, Cahirsiveen or Portmagee, Wexford, Longford or Dublin
if you are a friend from the fruit factory on Hollyhill, if we know each other from AHA
if we were friends or neighbours during my time in the city — if you know me from Barrack Street or MacCurtain Street
if you have ever experienced Cork — if you know the beauty of this place and the charm of its people
please consider donating to this — for my Mum and for the Nurses and Orderlies who took such good care of her
I am trying my best, but it will not count for much without your support
every donation will make a real difference — please help us with this effort if you can
Ireland has gone fairly Atheist in the last decade or two, so this next bit will make me look like an idiot
I am baptised Catholic, non-practicing but culturally Catholic, Agnostic within that context
please respect this, do not make fun or give me a hard time
please try to understand, Agnostics must always hedge their bets
and Mum would have loved this, so if there is even 1% chance, I have to say it
Mum,
I have no idea if there is anything after, or if there is any trace of you here
I wish it were so easy as Star Wars, that we could see you and know you are happy and safe
we love you so much, to the moon and stars and back again
we will never forget you Mum — you were our heart, the glue that kept us together
the Doctors were recommending the hospice, they only gave you two weeks
you changed their tune — they said there was no medical explanation for it
you defied the science, you are the reason we believe in something more
I am so sorry I was not there when you first woke, I think about it every day
I did not think you would notice, I thought I would get away with it
I had done too many nights Mum, my neck and back were so sore from the chair, I was so tired
you were sleeping so soundly, your health was up
we thought they were getting smaller again, your temperature was down
the Doctors had started saying you could live for 6 months or more
I did not know it was your last night, I honestly did not know
we thought you had weeks left, possibly months
you always seemed to have another week in you, it could never get a grip on you
I was never as strong as you, I just needed one smoke and two hours in a bed
I thought I would be back before you woke up, I thought it would be okay
when the Nurse called I ran — I never stopped running, I swear to God
thank you for hanging on for me, I am so sorry you woke up alone
thank you for fighting as long as you did, for all of us — you were so brave
it would have been so much worse for us if you did not fight it, there would have been no time
most would have taken the comfort, calm and quiet dignity of the hospice — you kept going
you created the time we needed to rally around you, you made it possible for us to say goodbye
even when you were dying, you were strong for all of us
you are a modern miracle, we will never know how you managed it
you did so well Mum, thank you for bringing us together again
we will never forget you Mum — for as long as a McNeely, Adams or Coughlan is here, we will keep your memory
that is everything
if your Mum is still around and ye get on, I would recommend giving her a call or visiting her
I hope everything I have said here makes sense, that it was not difficult to follow
please excuse my writing, I find it extremely difficult to read and write paragraphs
whether you can support this or not, I hope you are well and that life is being kind
thank you so much for your time
Mark
Your support is much appreciated
Right now we urgently need your support for the following: The Mercy Cancer Appeal - &...
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In loving memory of Mary Veronica Adams
if you know me or if you knew my Mum, it would mean a lot if you would consider this
this is a personal appeal for your support in raising awareness and funds for a new project by the Mercy Hospital Foundation
their mission is to promote the work of the hospital, to raise funds for vital equipment and help bring new treatments and services to the Mercy
the Mercy Hospital Foundation are a non-profit charity — they are located in Cork, their work serves the people of Cork
2 years ago, the Mercy Hospital Foundation created and funded a new role at the Mercy Hospital in Cork
this person is known as a ‘Psycho-Oncologist’ — her work is the idea that needs our support
the idea behind Psycho-Oncology is to offer a dedicated Therapist to support the mental health of cancer patients and their families
she provides emotional support, comforting and giving counsel to cancer patients and their families at every stage of the illness
this role is not the same as a Psychiatrist assessing you in a clinical manner and prescribing strong medications — it is different
the lady who does this work is similar to a Counsellor — her approach is humanistic, her work is tailored to the individual needs of each patient
until now, the Psycho-Oncologist role at the Mercy has been 100% funded by the Mercy Hospital Foundation
it is a new service, it is considered experimental — to date the HSE do not fund it
for 2 years the feedback has been extremely positive — this lady makes a real difference to the people of Cork
but the HSE funding is not there yet — so the Mercy need support to keep it going
this year I am asking your help in supporting this new and vital project, in memory of my Mum
our Mum’s name is Mary Veronica Adams, her friends called her Vera
she was an amazing lady, the heart of our family
it is her birthday on August 29th, she would have been 77 this year
mine was August 22nd, I have just turned 36
we used to celebrate them together, as one
our birthdays were never fancy, but I loved them
Dad would go to Blarney and get Chinese, Tung Sing or Golden Panda
Mum would make a birthday cake and butterfly buns
I would get 2 or 3 videos with my birthday money, later it was DVDs
we would watch them either side of Corrie, Mum’s favourite show
she was born in Cork in 1944, during a time of great hardship in Ireland
food was rationed until 1951, most families in Cork struggled back then
she was a Coughlan, the youngest of eight — Sheila, Derry, John, Bill, Noel, Irene, Brendan and Mum
they were raised in Ballyphehane, on Kent road
Mum left Ireland in 1960, for Crystal Palace in London
she did not want to leave Cork, but she did not have much choice
conditions in Ireland were not good at this time, especially for women
she was highly intelligent, but women in Ireland did not have the same access to education or employment
while living in the UK, Mum had 4 daughters with her first husband, our sisters Susan, Jackie, Deborah and Nicola
after her first marriage ended, she met our Dad, Stephen
they married and had 3 sons — Andrew, Jonathan and me
it is a very particular experience, growing up in Cardiff and Wycombe, knowing mostly Welsh or English, but living under the roof of an eccentric Cork woman
we did not have much money, we were always skint — but thanks to her wizardry we ate better than most families
my brothers and I were born in the 80s, in Wales and England, but reared on old time Cork dishes
when most families around us lived on stuff from freezer shops like Iceland, Mum was cooking dishes like bacon and cabbage, Irish stew, slow roast pork belly, smoked haddock, steak & kidney casserole and skirts & kidneys
this stuff might not sound very exciting to younger people, but for us this was soul food
we were very lucky, our meals were always made with fresh ingredients and cooked from scratch
the only dish we do not miss is liver and onions, that one was not nice
Mum was an excellent baker as well — she made soda bread, doughnuts and proper Irish scones routinely, like it was nothing
our family did not have a lot of money, but she managed everything so well that we had no idea
we wanted for nothing — every Birthday, Easter and Christmas was happy and special
she was the family’s accountant and historian, a skilled seamstress and home maker
Mum was always on standby for family and friends if they needed help, the fire was always lit (even in summer)
she was a fantastic story teller who could talk for Ireland, a joker who loved to laugh
our Mum was extremely cheeky and sort of fearless, as most Cork people are
in UK she met the likes of David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Prince Charles
she was friendly to each of them, but showed them the same respect she would a randomer on the street — no more, no less
in effect this meant Mum had the craic with them, poking fun at them as though they were ordinary blokes in a cafe, which they actually appreciated
our Mum was a real character, 5 foot tall yet somehow larger than life — spirited but kind, mischievous, extremely funny — the spirit of Cork manifest
we did not move to Ireland until I was 9, but through her Cork was always a big part of our lives
Mum and Dad first brought us to visit Cork in May 1990, we visited every summer after that
we really loved these visits — Cork was a lot nicer than the places we were living in UK
the places we lived before moving to Ireland were very crowded and built up, a lot of concrete and tarmac, a bit grim
on these trips to Cork, Mum made sure to introduce us to the good stuff — things like Irish dairy, crusty bread, Taytos, Cork style Battenbergs, Tanora and Kerrygold
some of that stuff is probably sold in England and Wales today, back then you just could not get it
she talked about Jackie Lennoxs often, we knew this chipper long before we set foot in Ireland — it was so exciting to finally visit this place
in total Mum spent 34 years of her life in England, Cyprus and Wales, before returning to Cork in July 1994 with my Dad, my brothers and I
our Mum was a really kind, thoughtful, loving and generous person
she really loved her children, her family and her friends — she always put everyone ahead of herself
she would always worry about us and protect us, her mission in life was to make sure we were always happy, healthy and safe
she had a hard life, but overcame every challenge and obstacle put in front of her and her family, achieving many things in her time with us
Mum fell ill at the end of December 2014, it was very sudden
she had a fever, then respiratory attack
she had been losing weight for a few months prior, but it coincided with advice she had taken on her diet
we honestly did not know what was happening, we did not see it coming
we thought it was Bronchitis, something she had trouble with before
she fought bravely and selflessly — she was in incredible pain, but she did not let us see it, as she did not want us to be upset
she declined hospice care and, through sheer force of will, her health improved — the doctors could not explain it
she beat the odds one more time and returned to the family home after 4 weeks, with her husband, daughters and sons around her
her only worries were for us, not herself, and to bring the family together again one last time
Mum passed away on the morning of February 9th 2015, in the Mercy Hospital
Mum was 70 when we lost her, I was 29
the Mercy took very good care of her, particularly the Nurses and Orderlies in Oncology
when Mum was sick, I was already attending counselling separately — I had some support to help me through it
but there was no dedicated service to support Mum or Dad, my brothers or my sisters
back then, the support that the Psycho-Oncologist now offers was provided informally, by the Nurses, the Orderlies and by Mum herself
they did so well
the work of Nurses is highly skilled, hospitals are always busy and resources always stretched
Nurses in particular are always rushed off of their feet — but they always made special time to care for Mum on a human level
these efforts by the Nurses and Orderlies were so important — they really humanised the hospital experience for Mum
on any given day, it was as though Mum had 3 or 4 extra children to entertain and comfort her
they talked to her, joked with her, made her laugh, gave compliments that made her smile, always made sure she felt safe and happy
the new Psycho-Oncologist role is important for this reason — it recognises the unseen work of the Nurses and Orderlies at the Mercy, the human side of hospital care
this person specifically supports the mental health of cancer patients and their partners, children, brothers, sisters and parents
she provides for the psychological, emotional, social and spiritual needs of every patient
nothing is forced or mandated — the Psycho-Oncologist is a human resource, her focus is talk therapies
whether newly diagnosed, receiving treatment, in remission or nearing death, she is there to take care of the mental health of patients and families
with her help, patients and their families are better able to process grief, to express what they are feeling, to manage their emotions and to better cope with the anxiety
with permission she will advocate and coordinate support for the patient, working with other agencies and services to make sure all needs are met
she supports patients who have difficulty coping with their diagnosis, with side-effects of medications and the adverse effects of cancer treatment
she takes care of people with phobias — if you are afraid of needles, Doctors, surgeries or the clinical environment, she will help you to cope
she does not push medications, however she does support patients with pain management, quality of sleep and stress
if a patient is suffering and needs relief, she will connect with Doctors to ensure they are aware and that the patient has timely access to remedies
these services are available to cancer patients and their partners, siblings, parents and children for as long as they are needed — her support is extensive
her role offers a listening ear, comfort, counsel and a support structure that otherwise was not consistently there
please believe me when I say, your money will not disappear into the ether
all funds raised here will specifically support this Psycho-Oncologist project, to keep it going until HSE funding is achieved
the Mercy Hospital Foundation are not a faceless and expensively operated mega charity
the Mercy Hospital Foundation are a non-profit charity — they are local, they serve the people of Cork
their work grows and improves what is available for us at the hospital, what they do is important
every donation here will make a difference, our contribution will count for so much more
if you would please consider donating and helping the Mercy with this idea, it would mean the world
if you cannot donate to this one I understand — the pandemic is going on a long time, money is tight and people are tired
there is much less charity happening in recent months, compared to last year — there is fatigue, things are beginning to creak
if you cannot donate today, please consider 'liking' and following the Mercy Hospital Foundation on Facebook, to support their work in future
please discuss the foundation with friends — the Mercy has taken care of Cork since 1857, yet they have fewer followers than most pubs, cafés and take aways
there is nothing wrong with supporting pubs, cafés and take aways — but why not support the Mercy as well
if you consider the role the Mercy has played in Cork, a county of half a million people — they deserve more than 8,000 followers
if you would like to raise funds for the Mercy in future, you can call them and they will tell you what the hospital is working on
the ladies who run it are really nice, their names are Deirdre and Nicola
in the beginning I was asking did they want a Nespresso machine or something — I am clueless
they were both so nice to talk to, they told me about their latest projects and this one made perfect sense
they will send you information, help you with paperwork and check in with you to make sure you have the support you need
this idea would not be possible if not for them
to give the effort a boost, I have asked my old work if they can help, if this effort is eligible for a charity program that they are doing
they have agreed to match all donations 1 for 1 — every euro donated here will be matched by them, up to a maximum of €8,500
now that I am aware of the Psycho-Oncology role, it hurts that this support was not quite there at the time
Mum never gave up on life — she declined hospice care and fought for her life, until the very end
but for those 6 weeks she knew — it was too advanced, it had traveled to different parts of her body
we cried often, in the corridors and at her bedside
Mum did not cry at all — she was far too busy being our Mum
from start to finish she put on a brave face for us, comforting and counselling all of us in her final days
we will always love Mum for that, how selfless she was — but it should not have to be this way
it hurts that Mum did not have much opportunity to say she is afraid, to talk about death, to find context and make peace with it
some day everyone in Ireland will know this ‘Psycho-Oncology’ role, its importance to cancer patients and their families will be common knowledge
today is not the day — but what we do here would be a step towards it
if you are sensitive to mental health, if you advocate for it
if you are a friend of Pieta, Samaritans and the mentally ill
if you have ever attended a Counselling session and felt its relief
if you have ever witnessed cancer burn through family or friend, if it has taken someone from you as well
if you or someone you love ever received care at the Mercy, if they took good care of you
if you knew my Mum, if you ever experienced her kindness and enjoyed her humour
if you are from Ballyphehane, if you knew the Coughlans of Kent Road
if you know me from Blarney or Tower, Whitechurch, Rathpeacon, Blackpool, Ballincollig, Douglas, Bishopstown or Glanmire
if you are a friend from the market towns — Clonakilty, Mallow and Fermoy
if you are a friend from Tralee, Cahirsiveen or Portmagee, Wexford, Longford or Dublin
if you are a friend from the fruit factory on Hollyhill, if we know each other from AHA
if we were friends or neighbours during my time in the city — if you know me from Barrack Street or MacCurtain Street
if you have ever experienced Cork — if you know the beauty of this place and the charm of its people
please consider donating to this — for my Mum and for the Nurses and Orderlies who took such good care of her
I am trying my best, but it will not count for much without your support
every donation will make a real difference — please help us with this effort if you can
Ireland has gone fairly Atheist in the last decade or two, so this next bit will make me look like an idiot
I am baptised Catholic, non-practicing but culturally Catholic, Agnostic within that context
please respect this, do not make fun or give me a hard time
please try to understand, Agnostics must always hedge their bets
and Mum would have loved this, so if there is even 1% chance, I have to say it
Mum,
I have no idea if there is anything after, or if there is any trace of you here
I wish it were so easy as Star Wars, that we could see you and know you are happy and safe
we love you so much, to the moon and stars and back again
we will never forget you Mum — you were our heart, the glue that kept us together
the Doctors were recommending the hospice, they only gave you two weeks
you changed their tune — they said there was no medical explanation for it
you defied the science, you are the reason we believe in something more
I am so sorry I was not there when you first woke, I think about it every day
I did not think you would notice, I thought I would get away with it
I had done too many nights Mum, my neck and back were so sore from the chair, I was so tired
you were sleeping so soundly, your health was up
we thought they were getting smaller again, your temperature was down
the Doctors had started saying you could live for 6 months or more
I did not know it was your last night, I honestly did not know
we thought you had weeks left, possibly months
you always seemed to have another week in you, it could never get a grip on you
I was never as strong as you, I just needed one smoke and two hours in a bed
I thought I would be back before you woke up, I thought it would be okay
when the Nurse called I ran — I never stopped running, I swear to God
thank you for hanging on for me, I am so sorry you woke up alone
thank you for fighting as long as you did, for all of us — you were so brave
it would have been so much worse for us if you did not fight it, there would have been no time
most would have taken the comfort, calm and quiet dignity of the hospice — you kept going
you created the time we needed to rally around you, you made it possible for us to say goodbye
even when you were dying, you were strong for all of us
you are a modern miracle, we will never know how you managed it
you did so well Mum, thank you for bringing us together again
we will never forget you Mum — for as long as a McNeely, Adams or Coughlan is here, we will keep your memory
that is everything
if your Mum is still around and ye get on, I would recommend giving her a call or visiting her
I hope everything I have said here makes sense, that it was not difficult to follow
please excuse my writing, I find it extremely difficult to read and write paragraphs
whether you can support this or not, I hope you are well and that life is being kind
thank you so much for your time
Mark
Funds raised through the Mercy University Hospital Foundation are used to purchase state-of-the-art equipment, to enhance and develop services and to help Hospital staff in providing a world-class service in a world-class hospital. The Foundation will help to provide life-saving, life-changing support to the patients of the Mercy University Hospital.
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