Works commence on new state-of-the-art cancer care centre in Cork city

Works to create a state-of-the-art cancer care centre in the city have gotten underway with the facility expected to be completed by September 2023.

Mercy Hospital Foundation has confirmed that building works have commenced at 9 Dyke Parade to convert the disused Georgian property into the Mercy Cancer CARE Centre, a long-term objective of the hospital foundation.

Following a detailed tendering process, Ross Buildings Ltd of Tralee was appointed as the main contractor for the project which will see the 3,000 sq. ft. building transformed into a modern non-clinical facility which will provide a quiet and safe place for patients and their families to access a range of services to support those affected both directly and indirectly by a cancer diagnosis.

The centre will be the home to the flagship psycho-oncology service which is delivered by clinical psychologists and is available to patients - child, adolescent and adult - with a cancer diagnosis who attend the Mercy University Hospital, as well as their family members.

The building, located within a minutes’ walk from the main entrance to the Mercy University Hospital and its outpatient department, will house several group and individual counselling rooms, with interactive IT systems in a modern comfortable environment.

Dr Tara Houlihan, senior clinical psychologist, psycho-oncology at the Mercy University Hospital, said the team at the centre will offer extensive support to cancer patients and their loved ones as they deal with an extremely difficult time in their, and their loved one’s lives.

“Our team will offer psychological support to patients and families at every step of the journey – following diagnosis, during treatment, and beyond - and will provide assessment and a range of psychologically-based therapeutic interventions matched to the patient and their family’s emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual needs,” she said.

The centre will, amongst other things, feature a sensory garden and a library service which will also be online so that it can be accessed from home; together with space for staff and student psychologists.

Paschal McCarthy, CEO of the Mercy Hospital Foundation, welcomed the commencement of the construction works on the long-awaited centre.

“The establishment of a dedicated Cancer CARE Centre has been a long-term objective of the Mercy Hospital Foundation, and following a number of delays, this is a tremendous milestone for the foundation, having fundraised since 2015 to get this service off the ground.

“We could not have achieved this without our fantastic team at the foundation; and most importantly the supporters, donors and volunteers who have run or walked miles, climbed mountains, swum in the sea in the depths of winter, dragged their friends and colleagues out to play golf, and completed many other innovative fundraising activities year after year, all in the effort to raise funds to bring this project to fruition,” he said.

“We cannot forget either, the families who have lost loved ones, and have donated generously in their memory.

“On behalf of the foundation, and the patients and families that will use the services provided by the Mercy Cancer CARE Centre over the coming years, thank you to each and everyone that has gone out of their way to raise funds for this amazing venture,” Mr McCarthy continued.

To date €1.35m has been raised for the Cancer CARE Centre, however, the project is expected to cost €2.4m.

Mercy Hospital Foundation is hoping to raise a further €1m to run the services.

For more information or to make a donation towards the centre, visit www.mercyhospitalfoundation.ie.