The Hope Centre provides massive support to the people of the county
THE Hope Centre in Enniscorthy has been described as ‘an invaluable support’ for people all over the county, by one of the volunteers who has been involved with it since the very start.
Mick Butler, who is originally from Enniscorthy, lives in Oylegate and he has been involved with the Hope Centre since it was founded.
‘I have been involved since the very beginning,’ he told this newspaper when we met to chat about his work with the organisation.
Mick has served the organisation in every capacity and one of its first ever board members.
He also served on the Hope Centre’s activity committee and had worked in the Hope Charity Shop.
‘If there are various other jobs to be done I’m always at the end of the phone to do them,’ said Mick.
The annual Hope & Dream road run is now one of the most eagerly anticipated sporting events on the local calender but in recent years it’s actually become a national event with participants coming to Enniscorthy from many other areas outside of county Wexford.
Mick spent five years acting as a steward on the bridge for the road run but then last year he decided to walk in the event, however, his participation came in the wake of a cancer diagnosis.
‘Last year I went on the [event] but when I went I was after being diagnosed with cancer,’ he said.
Having received treatment for a year his prognosis now, thankfully, is good.
‘It’s all looking good now so that’s positive,’ he said.
‘I’m now getting ready to go out again this year and I’m really looking forward to it,’ he added.
When he participated in the Hope & Dream event last year he did so with little preparation and as a result he feared he would struggle a lot towards the end of the route where there is a steep hill.
However, he negotiated that part of the course successfully and this year has set his sights in improving on the time he recorded last time around.
‘ To my surprise I completed it last year but this year I’m going for a quicker time,’ said Mick.
One of the roles Mick fulfills for the Hope Centre is that of collector so he travels around the county looking after the various collection boxes that are used to collection money for the centre.
He emphasised that without the ongoing support of the general public the centre would not be able to provide the invaluable service it does to people all over the county and beyond.
He travels the county for the collection boxes and when he meets people they tell him their stories and how the Hope Centre gave them support and assistance during very difficult periods in their life and in the lives of loved ones around them.
‘I think the people who started it in the beginning had a lot of foresight,’ he said.
‘When it started 20 years ago incidents of cancer were at a rate of around one-in-10 people but now that’s down to about one-in-three,’ he added.
‘So it’s [the Hope Centre] becoming even more important.’
He went on to emphasise the importance of the centre for the county: ‘It’s more than just for Enniscorthy; it’s for countywide and beyond.’
Mick also said the centre is always looking for new volunteers to get involved and that there is great satisfaction to be had from becoming one.
‘ They’re always looking for new people and when you get in the door you will not leave because of the atmosphere,’ he said, highlighting the positive and welcoming vibe that permeates the centre.
‘It’s so important for people to realise that cancer does not mean the end of the road,’ he said.
‘ There is life after cancer and that’s important.’
With regard to his own experience he said: ‘I did not let it change my life in any way.’
‘My way of dealing with it was to get up and go,’ he added.
‘I did not have time to think about cancer because I could get a call to pick up a cheque.’
Mick also advised people, men in particular, to get their bloods checked every year because that was how he was diagnosed,
‘I would say if you have any pain or ongoing discomfort get your blood checked to begin with that was why mine was caught in time,’ he said.
‘Men are slow about going forward so would encourage men to go [and get their bloods done].’
‘No matter what pain you have got and get it checked out,’ he said.
Mick’s involvement with the Hope Centre stemmed from his late wife’s cancer diagnosis.
Unfortunately, she passed away from the illness 22 years ago and her passing led to him getting involved .
‘Her passing was what got me involved,’ he said.
‘It’s a very important assistance and support for people,’ he added.
Mick also praised all of the people who were responsible for setting up the Hope Centre, some of whom have passed away.
‘ The amount of work they did to get it going,’ he said.
‘ They started it small and it’s gone from strength-to-strength,’ he added.
‘We would not be here if it wasn’t for the generosity of the public and the Hope & Dream race is very important as it’s a very big fundraiser.’
Mick also praised everyone who gets involved in the event each year: ‘ The amount of people who volunteer for it each year is unreal. We would have around 100 people involved on the day.’