A fundraiser has been launched online for a north inner-city woman who needs to travel to Hungary for revolutionary cancer treatment.
Kelly Hommes, who was born and raised in Sheriff Street in the city centre, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer in February, which has gone on to spread through her lungs and to her liver and lymph nodes.
The 41-year-old mother of five, and a grandmother of twin five-week-old boys, needs to travel to the Gerson Institute in Budapest, Hungary for treatment, as her cancer is at such an advanced stage.
Through GoFundMe, the aim is to raise €50,000 to fund Kelly’s treatment. The fundraiser was set up by Beverley Coughlan, a close friend of Kelly’s.
“I’ve known Kelly for years,” Beverly told Dublin Gazette.
“I was born around Sheriff Street and grew up around there before moving when I was in Third Class, but I’ve always kept in touch with Kelly.
“You can really say it went from 0 to 60 with her [illness]. She sent me a video of herself from last Saturday night of herself dancing around, having a ball.
“At the end of the video she broke down a bit and said just how much she was needed, and she really is – so many people love her.”
The second eldest daughter in her family, Beverly said that Kelly is almost like the mother of all her brothers and sisters, and is the go-to-woman for her nieces and nephews.
“Even before Kelly got sick, everyone used to go to sit around at her house – she’s a person that everyone really, truly loves, it’s been heart-breaking,” Beverly said.
Currently, €20,000 of the needed €50,000 has been raised through the GoFundMe, with Beverley and Kelly’s daughter, Chantelle, holding a number of other fundraisers to try and raise the money to get Kelly to Budapest by July 16.
“At the minute, we’re waiting for the oncologist at the Mater Hospital to release her medical records so we can try and get her booked in [at the Gerson Institute].
“We’re hoping to get it all moving soon, once we raise the money for her. There’s a slot available from July 16-29 for her [in Budapest].
“There might not be a cure for Kelly, but this treatment will prolong her life. Some people with the same condition as her have lived another five years.”
To help donate and support Kelly, see https://www.gofundme.com/treatment-for-kelly
