A GoFundMe page has raised over €100,000 for Ballinasloe native Audrey Morgan, who is a three-time cancer survivor and is now battling cancer for the fourth time.

The campaign for the forty-year-old mother of one originally from Ballinasloe aims to raise €150,000 to aid with the costly Immunotherapy treatment, additional medical costs and childcare for her son, Oisin.

The primary school teacher was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2011. She had her first recurrence in 2014 and again in 2016 meaning she had to undergo a rare and very invasive surgery.

This year, Audrey was rediagnosed with cancer with few options for treatment remaining.

On the GoFundMe campaign’s page, Audrey said that she only managed to do one session of chemotherapy as it hit her like a train. She said that she knew immediately that her quality of life would be severely impaired had she continued with it and that would be in addition to all the nasty life-changing consequences of the chemo.

“It’s toxicity was over bearing on me. I just couldn’t cope with continuing this course of treatment,” she said.

She then began to research alternative treatments.

“I have since researched an immunotherapy treatment called Pembrolizumab. Immunotherapy is a groundbreaking way of treating cancer and unlike chemotherapy it doesn’t spread through the body like poison killing both good and bad cells.

“Instead, it works with your immune system in building an immunity to fight against cancer. Researchers feel that the future of the fight against cancer lies in immunotherapy. Unlike, the USA, Immunotherapy isn’t yet licensed in Ireland for cervical cancer patients.

“The HSE won’t fund it. There is no current clinical trial here and essentially my hands are tied with regard to accessing the drug. However, I need this treatment more than anything else.

“I come with cap in hand, and ask you if you could manage donating a few Euro to my cause to support me in funding the immunotherapy, further treatments both medical and holistic and other incidental costs that I shall incur.

“The immunotherapy itself costs in the region of €8,500 per session. A session/transfusion is done every three weeks for an indefinite amount of time,” she added.

CLICK HERE to donate to Audrey’s GoFundMe campaign.

A homeless family with six children was taken to Portiuncula Hospital after the family called to a garda station in Athone last week, as there was no other accommodation available.

MIDLANDS 103 reported that the family was Romanian and that the authorities took it to Portiuncula Hospital after consultation with Tusla.

Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin said the situation is “a new low”.

“This is a new low. A family with 6 children were forced to sleep in a hospital in Galway last night!” said the Dublin Mid-West TD on Twitter this morning.

The family was taken to the hospital in Ballinasloe on September 5th.

Galway County Council has said that water supply will be shut off on Dunlo Street, Ballinasloe tomorrow night.

The essential works on the water network will be carried out tomorrow, Thursday 13 September from approximately 10pm until 7am on Friday 14 September.

Galway County Council, working with Irish Water, has apologised in advance for any inconvenience that may be caused by the essential works.

Dunmore, Clifden and Portumna based companies have been shortlisted for the final phase of the 12th annual Fleet Transport Awards 2019.

Three of the four Galway-based companies will contend in one category – the Own Account Transport Operator of the Year.

Waste management specialists Evergreen Fields (trading as Smyth’s Transport) from Dunmore is selected in the Own Account Transport Operator of the Year classification, while Clifden based fuel distributor, Sweeney Oil and Quitmann O’Neill Packaging from Portumna are other contenders in the same category.

On the technical side ORBCOMM, formerly known as Blue Tree Systems, has been chosen as finalist in the Best Innovation class.

Established in 2006, the annual Fleet Transport Awards have become a must-attend event for anybody and everybody working in the road haulage and transport sectors.

Last year just over one thousand people attended the event at the Citywest Hotel, Dublin to witness the best in the industry honoured for their endeavours, while availing of an unequalled opportunity to network and liaise with colleagues,” explained Jarlath Sweeney, Group Editor, Fleet Transport. “Well done to the Galway companies on reaching the final phase which includes a company profile presentation and interviews before the expert adjudication panel select the prize-winners.”

Tickets are now on sale for the Fleet Transport Awards Gala Dinner taking place on Thursday 11th October at the Citywest Hotel, Dublin. For further details contact awards@fleet.ie  or phone 094 9372819.

An information evening for Galwegians concerned about plastic waste will take place in the Kitchen Café tomorrow, Thursday 13th at 6pm.

At the event, the Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will be speaking about the proposed Waste Reduction Bill 2017, which proposes a ban on non-compostable takeaway cups, and a container deposit scheme for bottles.

Pauline O’Reilly, Green Party candidate for Galway West South Mayo, said that Galway’s beaches and parks are littered with plastic litter.

“Discarded plastic, much of it from single-use packaging, is causing untold damage to our marine life and wildlife,” she said.

She added that it’s easy to feel powerless against the rising tide of plastic waste, but that they want to bring people together and explain what is possible to do about it.

“We’ll hear from an exciting line up of speakers on the night. NUIG scientist Alina Wieczorek will explain her team’s research into plastic ingestion in deep sea Atlantic fish. We’ll be able to get a feel for exactly how far plastic can travel once it’s in our environment,” Pauline O’Reilly said.

The event will take place in the Kitchen Café, Spanish Arch, from 6-8pm on Thursday 13 September.