Tipperary cancer support group Circle of Friends move into beautiful new home

The people of Tipperary town have taken one enormous stride towards ensuring future generations receive invaluable support when facing one of life's greatest challenges.

The work of the inspirational Jones family, an incredible group of volunteers and the steadfast backing of the community and far beyond  has ensured that families forced to face up to the cruelty of cancer will have somewhere to turn.

The doors of a new   €1m state of the art   cancer support centre are now open with a welcome for all who need to avail of  the comfort, support, counselling, therapy and social outlet  that Circle of Friends provide.

The impressive centre, beautifully designed by architect Kenneth Hennessy and built by Marlfield Construction, will enable a dedicated team to provide cancer support services to  the people of  Tipperay Town,  west Tipperary and  east Limerick taking in a massive catchment area with a population of 50,000

 "It was only a dream " said Pat Jones who was among the people who founded Circle of Friends after his daughter Jennifer was diagnosed with cancer.

Now Jennifer, Pat  and all involved can  barely believe that they are planning the  official opening of the centre after moving from their home in the Station House which they occupied   for the last five years.

Shortly after Circle of Friends was established it quickly became obvious that space was g oing to  become an issue given the huge demand for the services being offered.

"We knew the need was there, we just could not expand where we were. We needed to build from the ground up, that was the dream and now thanks to so many wonerful people that dream has come true" said Jennifer.

UNBELIEVABLE SUPPORT

The Circle of Friends has received unbelievable support from the community and far beyond since it was established and that stepped up considerably when they revealed their  ambition  to build this project .

Tipperary County Council generously provided a site in Knockanrawley, Leader and National Lottery funding was secured and there was an incredible response to a "Buy a Brick" campaign.

Up to 1,200 people purchased a brick dedicating  the brick to somebody close to them. All those names will appear on a memorial wall to be erected within the centre.   

"The enormity of what has been achieved is just sinking in. Everybody involved are incredibly proud   of what has been done, there were so many people involved and the support was magnificent from the community  and within a wide radius of the town," said Tom O’Donoghue.

Given the capacity the centre has and its potential to significantly expand services  an            experienced co-ordinator of services Kay Hogan,  former director of nursing in St. Johns  in Limerick has been appointed. The building was designed to put  the kitchen at the heart of the centre and the two story building has more than ample rooms to provide  services in a private, confidential manner when the need arises as well as providing room for service users to meet and mix.  The building has ample reception area, kitchen, administration offices, therapy rooms, counselling rooms and  private rooms .

Pat Jones  believes that the centre can  become an essential cog in a national infrastructre and  was now well placed to play a role as a regional hub  for training or a network centre  for cancer support centres.

While in the Station House, Pat said they were very grateful but were held back as there was no room to expand  and develop the services.

This building, he said, because they decided to build big to accommodate future growth, would  meet the needs of the area for many years to come and would allow them to develop the services and play a leading role in the region.

Dorothy Thomas, Irish Cancer Society   paying tribute to the Circle of Friends said they had come a long way in such a short space of time.

 "It is a beautiful building and it is the people involved who bring it to life  and make the services available for the people who will come here.

It was a wonderful achievement  and the hard work of so many   would ensure that the circle of Friends home would be a place  to foster   well being and quality of life where valuable work would be carried out.

She described the Circle of Friends as a beacon of light in the face of adversity.