Solas Centre celebrates first anniversary with Kid’s Big Day Out!

The Solas Centre, the South East’s cancer support service, recently celebrated its first year at its state of the art facility in Ardkeen.

This year the celebrations focused on the children with the Solas Centre’s Kids Big Day taking place in Pirates Adventure Centre in Tramore.

It was a great family day out where over 50 kids where treated to hours of high energy games, bouncy slides, crazy golf, mini bowling, party food and the Beat Fleet were on hand, providing face-painting and balloons.

According to Iain Munro, SECF Chairman, the day was a great success. “At the Solas Centre we meet people of all ages every day. Cancer affects not just the person diagnosed but also has a big impact on the whole family. At the Solas Centre we provide counselling and art physiotherapy for children and their families affected by cancer”.

“The purpose of the Solas Centre Kid’s Big Day Out was to simply bring the children together, to have fun and to express themselves in that unique way that only children know how.”

Mr. Munro added, “We are indebted to John and Christine Murray in Pirates Adventure in Tramore, who provided the venue and also to the Beat Fleet who were a big hit with the children.”

Each year 2,000 people are diagnosed with cancer across Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary, Carlow and Kilkenny. Since opening its doors on February 28^th 2011, the Solas Centre has provided support services, such as counselling, relaxation therapies and group support services to over 500 people affected by cancer and anticipates that the numbers visiting the Centre in 2012 will continue to increase.

The philosophy of the Solas Centre is manifold; to provide cancer patients and their families with a safe place to talk things over and to help them cope with living with cancer. It also will work closely with the hospitals of the region in promoting and supporting patient-focused, cutting-edge cancer research and continues not only to educate people about cancer prevention, but also to change our mindset around cancer.

For more information about the cancer support services at the Solas Centre call 051 304604, visit www.solascentre.ie or check out the Facebook page Solas Centre – South Eastern Cancer Foundation.