Louise Collins was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2020, news that was confirmed over the phone due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Louise and her husband Fergal have three children; four-year-old Aaron and five-year-old twins Dylan and Reece. Her experience was made even more difficult due to the pandemic, because they couldn’t have any extended family support due to restrictions. It also meant that Louise had to attend all of her appointments alone and had no visitors during her lengthy hospital stays.

“The hardest part about having cancer in 2020 was doing everything alone,” she says. “I had to go through Garda checkpoints to get to the hospital. Even when I was in the hospital for eight days they wouldn’t let any visitors in – not even my husband. I had to wave at my kids out the window. It was heartbreaking.”

Although Louise and her family have had an extremely challenging year, she is so grateful for the support she received from the Irish Cancer Society’s remote counselling and peer to peer service. “Without the support we got from the Irish Cancer Society, I really don’t think myself, Fergal or the boys could have gotten through it as well,” she says.

Daffodil Day 2021, kindly supported by Boots, takes place on Friday 26 March.

To get involved, visit cancer.ie where you can make a donation, visit our Daffodil Day shop, or to host a virtual Daffodil Day event.

For support or advice, contact the Irish Cancer Society’s Support Line on Freephone 1800200700 or email a specialist cancer nurse today.