The word’s first shop stocked and staffed by cancer survivors has opened in Dublin City Centre.
The Shop That Nearly Wasn't sells art, photography, crafts and clothing made by cancer survivors of all ages.
The Temple Bar space highlights the many contributions of cancer patients and survivors make to society.
Lily Burke from Cobh in County Cork is the youngest artist involved in the project.
After surviving three years of treatment, including blood transfusions, platelet transfusions and chemotherapy, the ten-year-old collaborated with artist Peter Donnelly to design a tote bag.
“I made a bag that has a unicorn on it and that is going to be sold in the shop,” she told Newstalk.
“I don’t really remember being in hospital that much but I remember all the nurses were really nice and I am not sick anymore.”
‘The Shop That Nearly Wasn’t’ has opened in Temple Bar to mark #WorldCancerDay. It’s stocked and staffed entirely by people who have survived or are living with cancer. Youngest contributor is 10 y/o Lily Burke from Cobh @BreakthroCancer pic.twitter.com/OP9F3tpM3b
— Kim Buckley (@KiiimBuckley) February 4, 2020
The shop opened today to mark World Cancer Day with all proceeds to go to Breakthrough Cancer Research.
The charity’s CEO Orla Dolan said the cancer survivors that created everything in the shop were given the chance to do so by breakthroughs in cancer research.
She said people outside of Dublin can support the store online.
“At the moment, the shop is opening for one week at 4 Temple Bar before it hopefully finds a more permanent location, if demand is there,” she said.
“But it will also exist online for people who might not be in the Dublin area.
“Shopthatnearlywasnt.ie will be the online version of the shop and if you can’t come down you can go and visit and see it there too.”
The shop includes work by dancer Michael Flatley, Senator David Norris, director Stephen Bradley, rugby legend Tony Ward and award-winning author Peter Donnelly.
Several workshops, talks and events will be held in the space over the week.
One part of the shop will remain empty to highlight the fact that more research is needed to help more people survive sooner and call for increase Government investment and public support for cancer research.
With reporting from Kim Buckley
