Irish Cancer Society partners with LARCC to deliver free counselling to patients
The Irish Cancer Society and Cancer Support Sanctuary LARCC have partnered to provide 550 free counselling sessions in the Longford Westmeath area this year.
The society have presented €33,000 to LARCC to deliver the services for cancer patients, survivors and their family members.
In addition to free counselling, LARCC also provide nursing support, relaxing touch therapies, breast care service, manual lymphatic drainage treatment, bereavement support and a suite of other one to one professional services and group classes and supports.
The Irish Cancer Society provide 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: “One in two 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, and we are delighted to partner with Cancer Support Sanctuary LARCC to deliver these services in Westmeath.
“As well as offering our own remote counselling services, through our 24 local cancer support centre partners, the Irish Cancer Society fund free counselling services across Ireland, and we 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.”
Bernie McHugh, manager of LARCC, said she and her colleagues are grateful to receive funding from the Irish Cancer Society: “While this grant aid from ICS funds approximately 50% of counselling delivery at LARCC, the entire counselling delivery here runs to around 1,000 sessions per annum supporting cancer patients and their family members, including children impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
“We could not achieve that level of service without the generous support of public funds raised through donations and fundraising events, for which we are always so grateful.
“LARCC are a community-based cancer support offering professional support services with more than 23 years of experience, utilising an MDT (multidisciplinary) approach, to provide equitable patient access in the area of psych-oncology services and Survivorship programmes.
“LARCC are led by a professional team of dedicated nurses, therapists and counsellors. All counsellors are fully qualified psychotherapists and have years of experience supporting cancer patients and their families. All therapists have trained specifically in cancer care massage and reflexology and the MLD practitioners are fully qualified in what is a highly skilled treatment.”
For confidential advice, support and information on any cancer issue, contact the Irish Cancer Society Support Line on Freephone 1800 200 700.