Family of Derry woman Rosita Healy to walk to her beloved Buncrana for Hospice

Alisha Diamond, Shelley Diamond and Catherine Healy pictured with little Zara McGuinness and Caodhan O'Donnell at the launch of a family walk from Derry to Buncrana on September 5 to raise funds for the Foyle Hospice in memory of Rosita Healy. Photo George Sweeney.

Rosita Healy was cared for at the Hospice during her final weeks and her daughters Corinne and Catherine have spoken of how grateful the family is for the kindness and attention shown to their mother and their family during that time.

The much-loved Creggan woman had battled pancreatic cancer and was just 53 when she passed. In the months before her death, Rosita was so happy to get to meet and cuddle her new grandson Caodhan, the memories of which her daughter Catherine will forever cherish.

Rosita’s family will be taking on the Foyle Hospice Half Marathon and walking from her home in Derry to the beach in Buncrana in her memory, while across the Atlantic relatives in Canada will also be staging a fundraising walk there in memory of Rosita.

Rosita’s relatives in Derry are also holding a series of different fundraisers to help the Hospice out as much as possible at a time when traditional fundraising initiatives have had to be postponed or altered due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Catherine and Corinne said the family will be eternally grateful for the amazing dedication the staff showed to their mother, and for ensuring they could be with her in person.

“The reason we decided that we wanted to take part in the Foyle Hospice half marathon was because they helped not only our mummy during her final weeks but us as a family too,” they said.

“We thought that it would be a lovely thing to do in our mummy’s memory and also to help Foyle Hospice raise much needed funds as a lot of their fundraisers had to be cancelled due to Covid. The staff and doctors at Foyle Hospice were amazing, nothing was ever a bother to them, anything we needed or mummy needed, they sorted it no bother, especially considering we were all experiencing uncertain times due to the virus.”

Members of the Diamond/ Healy family and friends will undertake a sponsored walk, to raise fund for the Foyle Hospice, in memory Rosita Healy on the 5th September next. The group are pictured with Noel McMonagle, Foyle Hospice Community Fundraising Manager, and Nurses Carol McGurk and Donna McFadden at the Foyle Hospice on Wednesday afternoon last. DER2034GS - 016

The sisters said the staff at the hospice made it possible for Rosita’s family to visit her by providing them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to keep everyone safe.

“They were always honest and informative about what stage mummy was at but they had a way of saying it so it wasn’t scary for us. They understood how close we were as a family and on her bad days allowed us to visit her, hold her hand and reassure her that everything was ok. On some of her final days we would visit and a nurse would be sitting with her so she wasn’t alone, which brought great comfort to us, knowing how loving and caring they were to their patients. One doctor even brought her dog into visit, knowing mummy loved dogs. As soon as she seen it she gave the biggest smile even though it was a bad day. They made it possible for the whole family to be there on her final days (social distancing and two people in at a time), which we will be forever grateful for.”

They added that while the Foyle Hospice was widely appreciated by local people, having personally witnessed the amazing work that goes on there really brings home how vital the facility and those who run it are.

“Everyone knows how important the Foyle Hospice is to our town but what goes on behind those doors is truly amazing. It brings comfort to the families to know that each patient is treated with so much respect and is treated more like family than patients.

Rosita Healy pictured with her baby grandson Caodhan, and with her daughters Catherine and Corinne, who have praised the care their mother and wider family received at Foyle Hospice.

“So on September 5 we as a family have decided to walk from our mum’s house to Buncrana beach as it was the one place she wanted to go when she was feeling better but never got the chance to.

“We also have family in Canada taking part and raising funds as they can’t be here in person.”

Noel McMonagle from Foyle Hospice said: “I would like to thank the Healy / Diamond families and friends for taking on the Foyle Hospice virtual half marathon challenge in memory of Rosita.

“Rosita was cared for here at Foyle Hospice and we are grateful to the family for creating a lasting legacy, by taking up this challenge to raise much needed funds.

Little Caodhan O'Donnell and Zara McGuinness pictured at the launch of a family walk from Derry to Buncrana on September 5 to raise funds for the Foyle Hospice in memory of Rosita Healy. Photo George Sweeney.

“Things are all being done different at the moment but we are honoured that they have come together as a family to support Foyle Hospice in these difficult times so if you can support them in any way in memory of Rosita please do by going to www.foylehospice.com/customer/donate.”

The family have also set up a Go Fund Me page in memory of Rosita. To make a donation please visit www.gf.me/u/ym6fph