Veronica O’Leary
Hello, my name is Veronica and I am the founder and CEO of Purple House Cancer Support.
I founded Ireland’s 1st Community based Cancer Support Centre, Bray Cancer Support Centre, now Purple House, in 1990 as somebody who had first hand experience of what it’s like to be a cancer patient in Ireland. Our vision is to provide professional help and support to anybody who is affected by cancer – patients, family members, friends, carers and health care professionals. I have also assisted the foundation & guidance of other Cancer Centres & Groups around Ireland. I am a member of the HSE’s Palliative Care Consultative Committee.
We operate out of a state of the art Centre in Bray, Co. Wicklow where there is always support available for those who seek it, as well as Cancer Support Clinics in dlr Lexicon Library, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
If you are a first-time visitor to this website then I would like to welcome you and encourage to take a look around. We have a very active community here so be sure to browse our information sections as well as our blog and our upcoming events calendar.
Take care of yourself and I hope to see you soon.
Kind regards,
Veronica.
Our Team
Purple House Cancer Support is run by a team of professionally trained people. Our team have a diverse range of experience in helping & supporting cancer patients in Ireland.
Our Counsellors & Therapists:
Our team of professional Accredited Counsellors, Psychotherapists & therapists are all fully trained in the areas of cancer support & care.
Our Cancer Support Care Staff:
Our team of qualified Cancer Support Care Staff support our clients in all aspects of their needs in Purple House.
Our Support Volunteers:
Our team of fully trained support staff provide support & assistance to our clients in Purple House Cancer Support Centre.
Our Physiotherapists:
Our physiotherapists have qualifications in Cancer Rehabilitation and oversee the services in our Cancer Rehab Gym.
Our Reception & Administration Staff:
Our reception team will welcome you to our Cancer Support Centre at Purple House and also provide telephone support to anyone affected by cancer.
Our Hospital Transport Team:
Our team of volunteers provide hospital transport to people receiving cancer treatment.
Our Fundraising Team:
We have a team of volunteers who organise our fundraising events.
Our Board of Trustees:
Purple House is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees who do not receive payment for their services.
The member’s of our Board include a Medical Doctor, an Oncology nurse, a retired nurse and professionals of various backgrounds.
How we care for our Staff & Volunteers:
At Purple House we have a duty of care to all of our staff, counsellors, therapists and volunteers to provide staff support and supervision on an ongoing basis to help them to deal effectively with the emotional impact of their roles in Purple House.
We do this by providing:
- Weekly Relaxation Classes for staff and volunteers.
- Complimentary Therapies
- Physical Activity Exercises
- One to One Counselling
- Self care Days
LIFT Programme:
Purple House are rolling out the LIFT programme to all of our staff and volunteers. LIFT stands for Lifting Ireland’s Future Together and it aims to make us all better leaders, while also focusing on our own self care.
