A KILLARNEY woman who was told she had cancer 15 months after her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, has penned a collection of inspiring personal stories to raise funds for a really worthy cause.
Bríd O’Connor, a history teacher, will officially launch her book, Spark: Stories to ignite body, mind and soul, at the Rose Hotel in Tralee this Friday at 7.00pm.
In addition to Bríd’s diagnosis, two of her siblings tested positive for the BRCA gene and, suddenly, the tight-knit family was faced with grief and challenges unimaginable to most people.
Her mother, Evelyn O’Regan, was a basketballer and coach and a phrase she regularly used to ignite the passion and drive in a team was to “turn and face it.” That always stayed with Bríd and no more so than when the family grieved the death of her mother last November and she had lost her greatest champion.
Prompted by the loss and her own journey through cancer, she wanted to find stories that others could find comfort in and that will give hope during the lowest hour.
During this time Bríd said she had lost her “spark” and that it took time for it to re-emerge but when she found it again, she knew she could help others with her story.
The book is a beautiful collection of conversations with many familiar faces and others, including author Billy Keane, sports star Louise Galvin and fashion designer Don O’Neill.
The incredible contributors to Spark share stories of grief, serious-illness, life-altering events and challenges and the book is filled with messages of hope. Proceeds will go to Comfort for Chemo, Kerr’s €5 million project to build a centre of excellence for the patients of Kerry.
As a service user of University Hospital Kerry during her own cancer treatment, Bríd acknowledged that the medical, nursing and support staff are incredible but the setting is unsuitable and there is an immediate requirement for a stand-alone chemotherapy unit would provide much needed comfort and dignity to cancer patients.
Spark is for sale in Eason Killarney Listowel, O’Mahony’s Booksellers Tralee and Crystal Cave in Killorglin as well as www.sparkbodymindandsoul.com.
