The Marie Keating Foundation is an Irishfoundationfocused on raising the awareness of cancer, and the importance of early detection. The charity was foundedin 2001 by Ronan Keating and his relatives, and is one of the biggest cancer charities in Ireland following the Irish Cancer Society. Relying solely on fundraising and donations for operations, the charity holds campaigns and events regularly. Initially focussing on breast cancer, the charity organisation has expanded in recent years to cancer information, awareness and support for all forms of cancer.
In 1994, Keating experienced breast pain, and her doctor diagnosed her with mastitis also giving her a prescription worth of antibiotics while also telling her to come back if the pain persisted. As she was a sufferer of nosocomephobia, she didn't go back to the doctors even though she was in pain. She discovered a breast lump, and her doctor immediately sent her to Beaumont Hospital in the north of Dublin city for a biopsy, and she was told that it was cancer even before tests were run. Over a year and a half later, on, Marie was diagnosed with Paget's disease of the breast which developed into breast cancer as it was not detected early enough. Although this was an entire shock to both her and her family, she underwent a full mastectomy the following month, and begun chemotherapy treatment. A year later, in September 1997, she was told that the cancer had gone but as she rarely done her exercises, she developed lymphedema in her legs, and in the following month, she began to witness back pain and she returned to hospital. The doctor had done an MRI scan, and discovered that she had three parts of cancer along her spinal cord, and began radiotherapy which she had completed in January 1998. On, Keating died after losing her battle with breast cancer which had spread to various parts of her body, aged 51.
Marie Keating Foundation
After her death, the charity was founded in memory of her by her son, Ronan, her husband Gerry, and other children in 1998 initially giving advice and support to those battling breast cancer. As it grew, it expanded to cancer information, awareness and support for all forms of cancer. It was registered on.
