‘When you’re sick you need nurtured’
A Cookstown businesswoman has spoken of how the ‘magical’ Charis centre played a crucial role for her on her harrowing cancer journey.
Roisin Donnelly, a former marketing director for the Donnelly Car Group, was diagnosed with cancer in 2016.
She says: “It came as a shock. At the time I was working at Real, a new concept store we had opened on the Lisburn Road in Belfast.
“My treatment involved chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. It was an intensive programme.”
It was in hospital in Belfast that Roisin heard about Charis for the first time even though she doesn’t live far away.
Describing the Lough Fea centre as
“a sanctuary of calm”, she says: “For me, it played a critical role. On occasions, I felt undeserving of the support. I almost felt as if I was taking someone else’s place.”
Roisin says the Charis staff are remarkable. “They recognise what you’re going through. They’ve seen it many times before and they simply help,” she says. “Whether that’s providing practical solutions such as dietary advice, or boosting your mental reserves by alleviating stress through massages, reflexology or counselling, it works.”
Roisin says the reflexology was particularly helpful, adding: “I had trouble sleeping and one hour of treatment felt like I had caught up on one week’s sleep.
“Peace and gentility are the words I would use to describe Charis and all of the team. When you are sick, you need to be nurtured. It’s nice to visit Charis with a family member too as they are on the same roller coaster ride with you and I think that’s what really makes Charis unique.
“The treatments are therapeutic for everyone who attends. It’s very different to a hospital appointment. Anyone who attends the centre feels instantly at home. The people who work here become an extension of your family.
“Charis presents an uplifting environment. Hospitals are intense. Although you know you need and want to be there for the expert care, it’s also important to find somewhere you can breathe and relax during the recovery process”.