‘There is always hope’ New website launched to support Irish cancer survivors and patients

"There is no doubt that cancer changes you and after I finished treatment, I began another journey."

A new website has been launched to help Irish cancer survivors and those still living with cancer. Survive & Thrive: Living With and Beyond Cancer was launched today by the Marie Keating Foundation to support the growing number of survivors across the country. Incorporating trusted information, management resources, and support for carers as well as patients, the site hopes to provide a way for people to feel both empowered and informed while living with, or having lived with, cancer. This comes as part of the National Cancer Strategy, the programme developing the cancer survivorship pathways for Irish people. "Maximising the quality of life of patients is a crucial feature of the vision of the Strategy," said Minister for Health Simon Harris. "A key goal of survivorship care is to empower patients to achieve their best possible health. "The launch of this microsite, along with the delivery of the ‘Cancer Surviving and Thriving’ self-support programme in conjunction with the National Cancer Control Programme, will work towards the realisation of this goal.” Stage four melanoma cancer survivor, Sean O’Sullivan, said that he is "living proof" that there is life after a cancer diagnosis. "I am happy and grateful to call myself a cancer survivor but there were certainly times when I got the news in 2015 when I doubted, I would be," he said. "There is no doubt that cancer changes you and after I finished treatment, I began another journey, tackling post-traumatic stress as a result of all I had been through and the lingering side effects. "Having the right support is crucial for anyone on a cancer journey and this website will be a great resource for anyone needing help or guidance." CEO of the Marie Keating Foundation and cancer survivor Liz Yeates said that the new website will help fill the gap that had for so long been present with cancer survivors in Ireland. "We have been working on surviveandthrive.ie for over a year and it will be an important living repository, which is updated regularly, providing relevant information and support for anyone who needs it," she said. You can visit the new Survive & Thrive website here.