| 2.8°C Dublin

Star's heartache Síle Seoige opens up on 'devastating' loss of close friend to cancer

Sile Seoige Expand

Close

Sile Seoige

Sile Seoige

Sile Seoige

Melanie Finn

Broadcaster Síle Seoige has said that losing a close friend to cancer this year has made her realise how lucky she was with her own battle against the disease.

She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when she was 32 and had to undergo surgery to remove her thyroid, followed by radioactive iodine treatment. She has been cancer-free for several years.

BRILLIANT

"I lost someone I knew this year to cancer, a young brilliant woman who was a mother to a little boy. Cancer was what took her in the end and it's just devastating," she said.

"She was a lovely woman called Holly Kennedy and we met at a yoga day years ago.

"We clicked straight away and she ran a getting through cancer mag called Happy Mag and she was doing brilliant.

"She had been diagnosed with cancer at the same age as me, at 32.

"We stayed in touch with each other and unfortunately, her cancer returned very aggressively and she passed away this year.

"It's just devastating and it's a sharp reminder to me of how lucky I am and that's all it was, luck."

Síle has joined up with St Francis Hospice and Aviva Ireland to help them fundraise for their Raheny and Blanchardstown facilities with a Tree of Life ceremony after a 20ft tree was erected in the southside stadium.

The December 10 ceremony will remember those patients St Francis Hospice has cared for and those who were lost to Covid-19 over the year.

People can donate by logging on to aviva.ie/treeoflife and giving €6.

Download the Sunday World app

Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Available on Apple and Android devices

Online Editors

Privacy