A Derry woman who lost her mum to breast cancer during her childhood has described how nurses at an end-of-life charity "doted" on her siblings.
Mum-of-four Lynn Meenan sadly passed away at Foyle Hospice in Derry at the age of 32 in 1993, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her daughter, Orla, has reflected on her childhood memories at the Hospice, where her mum Lynn spent her final days with the family.
The Meenan family has supported the hospice ever since, and Orla is speaking out as the charity reaches the milestone of 40 years caring for the community.
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A Foyle Hospice spokesperson explained: "The Meenans have been part of the Hospice family since 1993, when their mother, Lynn (Begley) Meenan, died in Foyle Hospice at the age of 32. Lynn was married to Joe, and they had four children when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, shortly after the birth of her fourth child.
"When Lynn entered the Inpatient Unit at Foyle Hospice, Sinead was 2 years old and, along with Orla, age 11, Ashleen, age 7, and Niall, age 5, spent every day in hospice with their mother, never realising the severity of her illness."
Orla said: “When mammy was first diagnosed, we had to drive to Belfast to see her. Daddy would load all four of us into the car for the long journey there and back. It was a completely different experience when she entered the Inpatient Unit at Foyle Hospice. We went to the hospice every day after school.
"Mammy helped us with our homework, and we mixed with other patients and their families. It was part of our lives; I did not associate it with sickness. The nurses cared for us, too. We played games, ran around the garden, did crafts, and attended activities in the daycare room and front hall."
She added: "I remember one of the nurses, Mary Roberts, holding Niall; all the nurses doted on him. We always kept our routine, even though Mammy was so sick, and the staff at hospice helped make that happen.”
On the day that Lynn died, the family was with her and Joe was by her side later that night when Lynn went peacefully.
The family felt so connected to the hospice that they continued to attend mass there every Sunday for years. They have fond memories of spending time with Bishop Daley and the staff.
Over the years, the grounds at Foyle Hospice have become an extended part of their homes. Now that they are parents, they have brought their children to share with them the gardens they played in many years ago when their mother was a patient.
Ashleen said: “We always felt connected to Foyle Hospice and wanted to give back, to somehow try to repay them for what they did for us. Our family started fundraising right away, and in 1993, we raised £650 during a fundraiser at the 720, and we also participated in a charity walk.
“From that day, we have never stopped; it has become a family tradition. We have all participated in everything from the Female Walk and Christmas Day Swim to Coffee mornings. Our daddy always gives us kids' membership to the Weekly Draw for Christmas.”
The family knew that they wanted to do something special for what would have been Lynn’s 60th birthday. They decided to walk a total of 60 miles in her honour, which soon snowballed into each of them walking 60 miles! Everyone participated, including Orla and Ashleen, who live in Derry, Sinead in Scotland and Niall in Australia. Their children Jac, Becca, Bradan, Hailie, Zoe, Nathan, and Lewis joined in too!
What started as a tribute to their mother soon became something they would treasure forever. The story of their challenge got out, and once it was on Facebook, friends and extended family joined in. People who knew their mother started contacting them and sharing precious memories, photos, and stories.
They felt like they were finally getting to know their mammy. The children were so young when Lynn died that these stories filled in gaps and gave them a history, something that they will hold in their hearts forever.
A Foyle Hospice spokesperson added: "Thank you for sharing your story and for supporting Foyle Hospice!"
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