Project: Help Support Families Living with Cancer

Purple House Cancer Support was founded in 1990 by cancer survivor Veronica O’Leary and her husband Brendan as a result of their own experience of living with cancer and the lack of support services for families available at that time.

Purple House was the first community-based cancer support centre in Ireland and has since become a vital resource for cancer patients and their families.

The primary goal of Purple House Cancer Support is to enhance the quality of life for those affected by cancer through various services and initiatives including emotional support, practical assistance, and complementary therapies to help individuals cope with the challenges associated with cancer.

‘Brendan and I identified the many issues that surround a cancer diagnosis and the family. We felt very strongly that more could be done outside the medical environment that would focus on the emotional aspects of living with cancer, along with practical issues such as transport, home help, childcare and financial concerns.

A year later when my own health had improved so dramatically, in February of 1990 I knew what I had to do. I wanted to use our own experience of the previous fourteen years to ensure that no other person suffered the pain and isolation that we had endured.

We felt that if we could use our experience to help others then the distress and heartache that we had been through would have been worth something.’ - Veronica O’Leary

Purple House is a home for home for families living with cancer.

Whether a person is in treatment, finished treatment, or supporting a loved one coping with a cancer diagnosis. All are welcome.