Friends rally round for an inspirational woman

Friends rally round for an inspirational woman

5 November 2014

OUTGOING, funny, caring — and always there when you needed her. Marieanne O’Shea was the perfect best friend. Four of those friends whose lives were all the better for knowing her paid tribute this week after the devoted charity fundraiser lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of just 34.

Marieanne, from Ardglass, who lost her own mum to cancer, was already a regular fundraiser for cancer charities when she was diagnosed herself in March 2010.

Becoming an ambassador for Action Cancer, thousands more were raised in her lifetime and her friends are now continuing the good work. Since she passed away in June, Siobhan Rooney, Kelly Pleasants, Ruth Curran and Laura Button have raised almost £10,000. And they’re not stopping just yet.

Fundraisers have ranged from a ‘Girls Night In’ in Ardglass, which raised over £1,000, to MoonLight charity walks and craft fairs.

The response has been “overwhelming”, her friends say.

Marieanne, devoted to husband Paul and sons Jack and Gavin, and a good friend to many, also found the energy to attend college for an Access to University course during her illness.

She wanted to be a midwife and was presented with three awards for her efforts including being named Essential Skills Learner of the Year in Northern Ireland.

Sadly Marieanne never got to realise her dream. Although surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy had initially been successful, the cancer would later return and spread throughout her body.

In the time she did have Marieanne was passionate about spreading the word on breast cancer and encouraging women to become more self-aware. It is a service Action Cancer say they deeply appreciated.

Joanna Currie, Consultant Radiographer for the charity, described her as an inspiration.

She said: “‘I will tell my story to everyone who will listen.’ These were the words of Marieanne O’Shea.

“Following her diagnosis Marieanne got in touch with Action Cancer to see how she could help others and became an Ambassador for the organisation.

“By sharing her story Marieanne encouraged women of all ages to be ‘breast aware’ and check themselves regularly. She also organised local fundraising events and enjoyed taking part in Action Cancer’s annual MoonLight Walk 

with her group of friends, which raised funds for the charity’s unique breast screening service for women aged 40-49 and 70 plus.

“An inspiration, Marieanne is greatly missed by her Action Cancer family.”

Marieanne’s friends’ latest fundraiser will be a Christmas crafts fair in Ardglass Community Centre on November 30, from 11am to 3pm.

• If you are aged 40 to 49 or 70 plus appointments for breast screening can be made by calling Action Cancer on 028 9080 3344, visiting www.actioncancer.org, downloading the Action Cancer BreastAware app or by completing a form in Gordons Chemists.