At the cheque presentation to LARCC today, were, from left, Garda Fiona Walsh, Noel Cheevers, Bernie McHugh, Anne Marie McEvoy, Paraic Flynn, Caroline Cleary and Garda Neil Donnellan.

Cancer survivor walks 310,000 steps to raise funds for LARCC

Published: Thu 31 Mar 2022, 5:18 PM

Last updated: Thu 31 Mar 2022, 5:19 PM

Mullingar's Anne Marie McEvoy has been very active in March, walking 310,000 steps to raise funds for local cancer charity LARCC.

After getting a Garda escort down Oliver Plunkett Street, she completed her 310,000 steps at the Joe Dolan statue at midday today. Over the course of the month she raised over €1,200.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Anne Marie said that LARCC was an organisation close to her heart as she accessed their services when she was sick.

“I unfortunately was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago but I was one of the lucky ones. I came through it. I also worked with the HSE and palliative care and would have dealt with people who accessed LARCC services.

“They are outstanding and don't get enough recognition. That's why I got involved,” she said.

LARCC general manager Bernie McHugh praised Anne Marie and said that if it wasn't for community fundraisers the organisation's suite of services that they provide to cancer patients would be significantly smaller.

“It is absolutely vital, always has been and always will be. We get small supports from the HSE and the likes of the Irish Cancer Society for our counselling service. We also get support from the National Cancer Control Programme, as well as from some government departments through the HSE and the National Lottery funds, but it is still not enough. You are still fundraising. It takes somewhere in the region of €250,000 to run LARCC every year and you are probably fundraising 70 or 80 per cent of that all of the time,” Bernie said.

During the pandemic, LARCC had to suspend a number of its services and move others online. Things are returning back to normal bit by bit, Bernie says.

“We never closed. The whole counselling service moved online, but there were a lot of things that we couldn't do. It's great to be back. We are back open since long before Christmas. January was sticky enough again because the numbers were so high, but we are back working providing counselling and therapies for cancer patients and their families.

“We were working remotely all the time but in some instances you really can't get much work unless it's in person. It makes an awful difference. You can't beat face to face,” she said.