A Co Cavan woman is putting her best foot forward this weekend as she takes on the New York half marathon on St Patrick's Day. Bawnboy native Tara Doonan is making the trip in a bid to raise vital funds for Cuan Cancer Care in Cavan. The work carried out by Cuan Cancer is close to the heart of Tara, who was diagnosed with breast cancer back in August 2022. Speaking to Northern Sound, Tara said she hopes her fundraising efforts will also raise awareness around women's health and the importance of getting checked. The 37-year-old wants people to know that cancer can impact "any woman regardless of her age" something which she feels awareness campaigns should "focus on" going forward. Tara also hopes that by telling her story others can find hope and inspiration. Although Tara finished her treatment back in November, Tara said that she also wants to raise awareness around the challenges that can arise in the aftermath of a cancer diagnosis or once an individual gets to the other side of treatment, this is something which she says is "not discussed enough."
"First of all, the message that really needs to get out there is that this is a disease that can affect any woman regardless of their age," explained Tara. "It's important to encourage young women to get familiar with checking their breasts so that they know what feels normal and what doesn't. Cancer doesn't discriminate and that's one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to speak out about my story. I remember sitting at home this time last year and feeling really unwell. Searching the internet for good news stories of young women who had breast cancer and who made it out the other side, who were living healthy lives and going on to achieve great things, so if I can be that story for someone else and give them hope then that would mean a lot to me."
Speaking of her gratitude to the local Cuan Cancer Centre, Tara said; "In August of 2022 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the Cuan Cancer Support Centre in Cavan was one of the first places we turned to for support. Cuan is a social support and wellness group that provides psychological and emotional support services for people with a cancer diagnosis, their family members and caregivers. They have been an invaluable support to us throughout our experience with cancer and I would have been lost without them." If you would like to donate to Tara's fundraiser visit - https://www.gofundme.com/f/tara-and-kevin-cuan-cancer-support-centre?fbclid=IwAR3-fdheOyewYdtwVf1uB6M8Yz04zUAimr_OFwvrd2pj6Y8nUWD4Nz0TXD8
