Rosie Keary

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Rosie and her family’s lives were changed dramatically, when she was diagnosed with stage 4, terminal cancer. Rosie’s daughter, Lydia, wanted the best for her mum during this time, and began contacting local organisations to seek help for her mum. Initially, Lydia was looking for someone to help clear her mum’s garden, as she knew she was going to be spending a lot of time at home and wanted her to be in a comfortable environment. Rosie had raised all of her children in their family home, and it had fallen into a state of disrepair over the years. However, after contacting Teresa, founder of The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation, Lydia says they went ‘above and beyond’ her expectations.

The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation organised a team to come and clear Rosie’s Garden, to make the space liveable once again. However, as it was nearing the end of the Summer season, Founder Teresa insisted they also renovate the inside of her home. Together, the team fitted a new carpet, curtains and other decorative items, and painted the walls, in Rosie’s living room. They made sure to let Rosie pick the colours and have her say in the renovations, which Lydia says made a massive difference. ‘When you have cancer, you lose all control, all of your life decisions get taken away from you’, ‘It was great to give mum some control over things’. Lydia and her family now live in the home, and she says they are still extremely grateful for the work Teresa and her team did, ‘It’s been amazing’ she says.