17 August 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
This September hundreds of Corkonians will shave their heads for Bazzerfest in support of a loved one with cancer, raising funds for The Mercy Cancer Appeal. The Mercy Hospital Foundation is now looking for bars, sports clubs and businesses around the county to host one of these “fun-razor” events on Saturday, September 19th, or indeed on any date that suits.
One in three people will develop cancer in their lifetime, and it is expected that Cancer cases in Ireland will rise by over 70% in the next 15-20 years; so now is the time to support the Mercy Cancer Appeal, which aims to raise €1.5 million by 2017 to fund key services and advancements in the treatment of, and research into many cancers.
In 2014 alone, The Mercy University Hospital saw:
- 5,276 patients cared for in St Therese’s Medical Oncology Unit.
- 50 patients undergo surgery for both Oesophageal and Stomach Cancers.
- 237 men diagnosed with and treated for Prostate Cancer, with 10 men undergoing surgery for Penile Cancer.
- 104 young men referred to the Rapid Access Clinic with suspected Testicular cancer. 15 of them underwent surgery in an operation called an orchiectomy.
Also in 2014, over 6,000 young men aged 16-18 attended talks given by the Mercy Foundation on Testicular Cancer and how to check for abnormalities.
Funds raised through Bazzerfest will be used to buy state-of-the-art equipment and help fund Cancer Nurses to make sure that patients and their families are supported throughout their cancer journey at The Mercy Hospital.
Deirdre Finn, Community & Events Fundraiser at the Mercy Hospital Foundation says “Our mission is to support the Hospital in delivering the highest quality of patient care by raising funds to support advancements and innovation in the treatment and care of patients at the Mercy Hospital, the People’s Hospital. We promise to do our very best to provide the people of Munster with a world class hospital, and this is only possible through the help of our supporters and donors, like those willing to open their doors and host fundraising events like Bazzerfest, and those who are brave and shave for us!”
If your pub, club or local business would like to host your own Bazzerfest “fun-razor” event, please call (021) 4274076 or register for your Bazzerfest Pack at www.mercyfundraising.ie.
