Lorraine’s health motivates friend to set up GoFundMe

WHEN Lorraine Finn was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer over the summer, her world was turned upside down – and her best friend has set up a fundraiser to help her through it.

Lorraine, 49, who is originally from Kilnamanagh but has lived in Gorey, Co. Wexford, for the last decade, is a mother of six with children aged from 11 to 29 years old.

Over the summer, she noticed a small dimple on the side of her left breast and went to her GP to get it investigated.

A biopsy then followed, which found that Lorraine had an aggressive type of breast cancer called invasive lobular carcinoma.

This form of cancer begins in the milk-producing gland in the breast and typically spreads into the surrounding breast tissue.

Lorraine Finn’s close friend, Drimnagh native and Old Bawn resident Lorainne McAuliffe, told The Echo about how the cancer has affected her friend.

“It goes in chains,” said Ms McAuliffe.

Lorraine, before she was diagnosed with breast cancer

“It’s not just in one spot, and with Lorraine, it spread to her other breast.

“Her lymph nodes under her left arm were taken out and they had an over 90 per cent rating of cancer.

“They’ve found spots in her lungs and kidneys, but it’s not confirmed yet if they’re cancer.

“She’s waiting for a scan in December to find out.”

In the meantime, Lorraine recently commenced a gruelling six-month course of chemotherapy which will then be followed by radiation therapy.

She has struggled with symptoms including vomiting, mouth and throat ulcers, and fatigue, and her hair has fallen out.

“Lorraine is normally the life and soul of the party,” said Ms McAuliffe.

“She’s very outgoing, very glamorous and very fun.

“But now she’s just tired, sore, sick and worried.

“She’s just not herself at all.”

This motivated Ms McAuliffe to set up a GoFundMe page for her friend, as Lorraine and her family have been grappling with financial worries alongside all of her health concerns.

Lorraine frequently travels down to St Vincent’s University Hospital for treatment from her Gorey home, with her husband Peter, who works as a head chef, by her side.

As Lorraine can’t drive herself because of the treatment, her husband has to take time off work to bring her, while she has had to stop working as an over-the-counter assistant in a Gorey pharmacy.

“Lorraine’s husband has been sick for the last couple of years,” said Ms McAuliffe.

“He had an inner ear infection, he got a condition from it and was off work for a year-and-a-half, so their mortgage was frozen.

“I know that she’s worried that they won’t be able to freeze the mortgage again, and Peter has to keep taking time off work – but they still have bills to pay.”

Four of Lorraine’s children are also still in school, and she recently found out that she will realise her dream of becoming a grandmother, as her son and his partner are expecting twins in March.

For the immediate future, though, Ms McAuliffe just wants to keep the financial pressure off her friend as she undergoes treatment.

“I just want her to focus on her treatment, get well and get the best outcome she can, without worrying about bills,” she said.

Donations can be made on GoFundMe HERE, and the money raised will be used by Lorraine to cover bills, travel expenses for attending hospital appointments, and medical treatment.

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