‘We want to give back and thank the nurses that cared for my dad’

John Mulholland, owner of John Mulholland Motors, is pictured with his daughter, Shona Mulholland (left) and Colleen Shaw (right), chief executive of Friends of the Cancer Centre, at the launch of a new partnership with the local charity. The award winning car dealership in Randalstown and Campsie is pledging to donate £40,000 in addition to other fundraising activity to help Friends of the Cancer Centre fund vital nursing hours, which supports thousands of local people every year. The family owned company has a very personal reason for supporting Friends of the Cancer Centre, as owner John Mulholland was diagnosed with kidney cancer in June 2018. John has benefitted from Friends of the Cancer Centre’s work first hand, particularly through the support of his clinical nurse specialist, who is funded by the charity.

Shona Mulholland, who is managing director at John Mulholland Motors and based in Campsie, will be dedicating a star to her dad, John Mulholland, who sadly passed away in August 2019.

John, who established the well-known car dealership 32 years ago, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2018 and was supported by a specialist nurse who is funded by Friends of the Cancer Centre.

Sadly John passed away last year but the family, business and customers have proudly been supporting Friends of the Cancer Centre in his memory.

This Christmas, Shona and her family are supporting the charity’s Wish Upon A Star appeal, where for a donation of £10 people can dedicate a very special star with their own personal wish, message or simply the name of a loved one on the charity’s virtual Christmas tree.

John Mulholland Motors will match donations, helping to support more families affected by cancer across the North.

Friends of the Cancer Centre was a charity close to John’s heart, supporting patients as they attend treatment at the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin and the Cancer Centre in Belfast.

“I’m proudly supporting the charity’s Wish Upon A Star appeal to celebrate the life of my dad,” Shona said. “Dad was always a star that shone in our lives and the lives of everyone that knew him.

“He was so well known as a businessman, a motorsport enthusiast and as a car sales man, but to us he was just dad. He was our world.

“Friends of the Cancer Centre is a charity that was really close to my dad’s heart, and the heart of my family.

“When my dad fell ill, it was the specialist nurses from Friends of the Cancer Centre who really stood by us and helped us along the way. When dad was diagnosed with kidney cancer, we were introduced to our specialist nurse, Melanie, on the very first visit with the oncologist. From that point on, Melanie was always by our side.”

Shona paid tribute to Melanie for going ‘above and beyond’ during her father’s treatment.

Friends of the Cancer Centre funds eleven specialist nurses across a range of cancer types, each providing dedicated support to patients.

Over the last two years, John Mulholland Motors has raised over £58,000 to support the charity’s work.

“My dad lived his life by the motto ‘support those who support you’ and that is why, as a family and as a business, we have been supporting Friends of the Cancer Centre for the past two years,” Shona said. “We wanted to give back and thank the nurses that cared for my dad and for my family.”

Shona’s star will join many more special wishes on Friends of the Cancer Centre’s virtual Christmas tree in what has become the charity’s annual appeal.

The money raised from the appeal will go on to support the charity’s vital work at the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin and the Cancer Centre in Belfast.

To support the appeal visit www.friendsofthecancercentre.com or text the word WISH to 70520 to donate £10 or contact 028 9069 9393.