A Cork cancer survivor has donated two cars to Marymount Hospice after raising funds through the sale of her book, Hope to Cope.

Midleton woman Katherine Dolphin Griffin handed over the keys to the cars, which will be used by the hospital’s community palliative care team, at a ceremony at the hospice.

“The day I declared my unfinished business with cancer, I promised I would return when I was able, with some token of thanks to them,” she said, speaking about her donation to Marymount Hospice.

The Toyota Yaris hybrid cars will be used by the team to provide palliative care to those who wish to remain at home in their last days.

A spokesperson for Marymount said: “The wonderful donation of two brand new cars purchased by Katherine from Cogan’s Carrigaline will be used by community palliative care nurses who travel all over Cork and Kerry to provide complex symptom management to those patients who are at home or living within other care settings within the community.”

The primary school teacher celebrated her 10th cancer-free year last Christmas and wished to give back to the Cork hospice, where her father, Joe Dolphin, passed away following his own battle with the disease.

“Joe Dolphin, you were one in a million,” she said. “This January, I am making another memory, not with you this time, but in your honour. It is my honour and privilege to hand over two cars to the palliative care nurses at Marymount, as a small thank you for the special way they cared for you in your final days. 

"I am so grateful to get this opportunity. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this happen.”

The funds came from Katherine’s self-published book Hope to Cope, in which she shares coping strategies that have resulted in her healing and recovery from trauma and finding joy.

All proceeds from her book, which is sold in Dunnes Stores around the country, go towards Marymount Hospice and the Irish Cancer Society to fund a cancer research PhD.

She plans to hand over a cheque for €50,000 on World Cancer Day in February of this year, bringing the total raised to €100,000.