Chairman Message

HERO is a registered charity that supports the development of research into blood disorders and advances the delivery of care to patients with blood cancers in hospitals. We help to make sure that haematology staff  are involved in research and aware of advances in care.

Since its inception, HERO has supported the salaries of two medically trained researchers. Their work has been published in peer reviewed journals and selected for presentation at  major international haematology meeting in the USA and in Europe. These two doctors and the scientists who have worked with them have already contributed to possible future treatment improvements for patients with blood disorders. As well as this direct benefit from HERO funding, both of these doctors are going on to complete their training in haematology and may spend their career looking after sick patients with blood disorders. They will carry their research experience with them to the patient’s bedside in the future, wherever they work.

HERO has also funded and supported haematology nurse specialists to further their knowledge and skills. Anyone who has encountered hospital services will be aware that nurses who specialise in a particular area provide stable and skilled support for patients and their families in a variety of essential ways. One tangible example is the support HERO has offered to allow haematology nurse specialists to perform procedures normally carried out by doctors. HERO funding sent two nurses from Cork University Hospital, to a London hospital famous for its cancer care, the Royal Marsden.

We urgently need more funding to carry on this work. We are launching a new fundraising initiative in January 2017- Thank you the many families, professionals, sports men and students who joined us in the Jennings Gallery in Brookfield Health Sciences Complex in UCC on January 26th.

We were joined by Mr Ger Loughnane, who supports our cause. We have had a number of volunteers for fundraising following our ball on March 4th.  If you have other ideas for fundraising, please contact us and join our fundraising committee.

We are looking forward to the Golf Classic in Cork Golf Club this June 28th. Thank you to Cork Golf Club and fundraisers for this event.

Thank you also to our donors and their families for their generosity and thank you for continuing to support HERO in a variety of ways.

Noel O’Regan
Chairman

June 2018