A Co Galway hotel will donate 10 per cent of the proceeds of all its Mother’s Day lunches on Sunday April 3 to a local breast cancer charity.
The initiative by the Claregalway Hotel will raise much needed funds for the Galway based National Breast Cancer Research Institute.
Paul Gill, the general manager of the hotel, says it is delighted to join forces with the NBCRI.
“We greatly admire the proactive work that they carry out in their research institute here in Galway. It’s great to be able to give something back to the community and we know our customers in the surrounding areas will support our initiate and help raise some much needed funds over the Mothers Day weekend.
The hotel team are kicking off the fundraising campaign on Friday April 1 by donating all tips collected to the charity. This initiative will then be matched by the hotel’s owners Paul and Nora Gill.
Collection boxes will be located throughout the hotel in the run up to Mother’s Day should patrons wish to make a donation. A fun raffle night will be held on Saturday April 2 in the hotel bar with lots of prizes, including weekend breaks to be won.
The NBCRI is based at NUI Galway under the directorship of Professor Michael Kerin. A leader in the field of breast cancer research, it combines ethical research into the biology of breast cancer with raising awareness about the disease.
The institute is continually fundraising to help improve breast cancer services for women with the aim of fast-forwarding breast screening throughout Ireland. Its current research focuses on detecting and isolating biological markers which can indicate the presence of breast cancer and determine the prognosis of a patient.
The NBCRI says, while there are many organisations nationwide fundraising for breast cancer awareness, the Galway-based organisation’s role is unique. Its research can help to find the causes and factors which influence breast cancer and therefore help to develop effective screening, treatments and medication to combat it.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in Ireland. It accounts for 30 per cent of all cancers in women in Ireland with approximately 2,500 new breast cancer cases diagnosed each year. It continues to be the most common malignancy in women.
Irish women have a one in 12 chance of developing it in their lifetime. Some 74 per cent of Irish women with breast cancer discovered the lump themselves. The risk of developing the disease increases with age. Approximately 80 per cent of breast cancers occur in women over 50 years. Around 14 men develop breast cancer in Ireland each year.
Internationally, breast cancer mortality rates have decreased slightly despite the rise in the incidence of breast cancer in the last two decades. However, due to improvements in technology and treatment, the prospects of long-term survival and improved quality of life are increasing.
Early detection of all cancers is the best strategy for reducing cancer deaths. If diagnosed early, breast cancer is treatable in most cases. Nine out of 10 women who visit their GP with breast symptoms are found to have a non-cancerous condition.
