The Kindness of Strangers
A cancer survivor in Ireland was recognized at the Quinn Healthcaresponsored awards in Dublin on Saturday for her selfless act of kindness toward another cancer patient who was also a complete stranger. Mother of two Ellen Thompson from Bay Estate earned a People of the Year Accolade for her selfless act of caring for cancer sufferer Kevin Kiely for the last two weeks of his life.
People of the Year Award Winner Eleanor Thompson and Kevin Kiely
Thompson met Kiely on a bus to St. Luke’s to volunteer and forged a friendship that lasted almost two years, and up to the day of Kiely’s death. During the time that Thompson was caring for Kiely, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Putting her own suffering aside, she looked after his home in Muirhevnamor when he was in hospital and called to him regularly after he returned to Dundalk, helping him with chores and messages.
Eleanor also helped Kevin rekindle his relationship with his brothers and sisters which he had drifted apart from around 20 years ago. As a member of the Grace Fellowship Church in Dundalk, Eleanor also helped Kevin rebuild his faith in God before he passed.
When Kiely’s health took a turn for the worse, he actually moved in with Thompson and cared for him up to the day of his death.
‘I was humbled and delighted to win the award. It was a great honour and an opportunity to bring Kevin’s life into the limelight, as well as the work of Dundalk Simon,’ said Thompson.
Tags: Acts of Kindness, Love
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