Pictured at a ceremony in the NCCP offices in Dublin, where full membership of the ACCSC was conferred on Mayo Cancer Support, were (from left): Louise Mullen, National Lead for Cancer Survivorship, NCCP; Joan Fitzgerald, chairperson, Mayo Cancer Support Association; and Orla Gillespie, manager, Mayo Cancer Support Association.

NCCP endorses Mayo Cancer Support’s services

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Local charity Mayo Cancer Support Association was officially conferred with full membership of the National Cancer Control Programme’s Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres (ACCSC) at a ceremony in Dublin on April 2 last.

Based at Rock Rose House in Castlebar, Mayo Cancer Support is a registered charity that has been providing emotional support to local people affected by a cancer diagnosis or bereavement for over 25 years.

Its services include professional one-to-one counselling, complementary therapies, group activities, survivorship programmes, and children’s services – all of which are available free of charge to cancer patients/survivors and their loved ones.

The ACCSC aims to establish and grow a forum for the development of community-led cancer supports and to advocate for the development of integrated pathways of care for cancer patients and their loved ones.

Full membership of the Alliance is the equivalent of a 'Q Mark' for community cancer support centres like Mayo Cancer Support, demonstrating that they are compliant with the best practice guidance of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) in terms of the delivery of community-based psycho-social services and survivorship programmes for those living with and beyond cancer.

Manager of Mayo Cancer Support, Orla Gillespie, explained that the attainment of full ACCSC membership was one of a number of key projects pursued by the organisation in 2024 to mark the organisation's 25th anniversary.

It involved engaging in a rigorous self-assessment and peer review process to demonstrate that the services it provides are operated to best practice standards.

Ms. Gillespie paid tribute to the staff and board members of Mayo Cancer Support for engaging and cooperating with the process so enthusiastically.

Securing full Alliance membership means service users and medical professionals alike can be more assured than ever of the quality and efficacy of the services offered by the charity at Rock Rose House in Castlebar and outreach centres in Ballina and Achill, she concluded.

For more information on Mayo Cancer Support, visit https://www.mayocancersupport.ie, email info@mayocancersupport.ie, or call (094) 9038407.

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