Daisy Ball raises €385,000 in support of childhood cancer
This year’s Daisy Ball, which took place during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, has raised €385,000 and counting to help ensure no child across the island of Ireland faces cancer alone.
Irish Jockey Rachael Blackmore, TV presenters Kathryn Thomas and Alan Hughes were just some of the high-profile guests at the annual Cancer Fund for Children Daisy Ball, which took place on Friday 19th September at the InterContinental Hotel, Dublin.
Guests enjoyed a night of entertainment and impact, whilst raising vital funds and awareness of childhood cancer. The night included a live auction, with prizes including an unforgettable VIP trip to Chicago for two, a private dining experience hosted by Chef Mark Clarke, and an exclusive VIP Riverdance experience at the iconic Gaiety Theatre in Dublin.
The seventh annual Daisy Ball, hosted by Kathryn Thomas, featured an exclusive performance from Riverdance followed by music from the multi award-winning Bentley Boys.
Cancer Fund for Children provide emotional, social, and therapeutic support to children and young people (0-24yrs) living with cancer across the island of Ireland, as well as their parents and siblings. This support is provided at home, in hospital, in the community and at the charity’s short-break therapeutic centre, Daisy Lodge in Newcastle, Co. Down.
For over 10 years, Daisy Lodge in Co. Down has provided thousands of families with restorative short breaks, precious time to reconnect, benefit from peer support, and simply be together. Over 4,000 families have experienced this support, yet demand remains far greater than capacity. This summer, construction officially began on the charity’s second Daisy Lodge in Cong, Co. Mayo, a beautiful 30-acre site on the shores of Lisloughrey. Within 18 months, the site will be transformed into a safe, restorative haven for families impacted by childhood cancer.
Every week across the island of Ireland, 10 children and young people (aged 0–24) are diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we’re able to be there for these families when they need us most, whether that be in hospital, in the community, or during a short break at Daisy Lodge. We are so incredibly grateful to everyone involved in this year’s ball, with special thanks to our supporting sponsors YES Insurance, Elave Skincare and Weir & Sons Jewellers for helping to make the night a huge success.
Phil Alexander, CEO at Cancer Fund for Children
