Latest Laois News: Laois Businesswoman’s novel way to support Breast Cancer Patients
Novel Way to Support Breast Cancer Patients
Club Together and Send a Luxury Gift Box
A Laois mum and businesswoman has come up with a novel way to support breast cancer patients during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
You can sponsor a box – or raise funds through your book club, staff room, office, café or sports team – and a woman facing this lonely battle will know the kindness of strangers.
“It’s about solidarity,” says Agnes Maher of The Thoughtful Shopper, which puts the gift boxes together.
“I set up this service after one of our friends developed breast cancer during the Covid lockdown. We couldn’t do the usual things like taking the kids for sleepovers or driving her for chemo, so we made up hampers for her instead.”
“We filled with things that would bring her physical comfort in our absence – a cashmere blanket for when she got cold during her ice cap treatment, books, candles and non-toxic room diffusers.
“When she was at her lowest, mid-way through the treatment, we got mad hairbands covered in jewels to hide her thinning hair, silk pillowcases, and pyjamas to make her feel lovely in bed.
“Her last basket was full of things to get her ready to face the world again after she was finished – jewellery all her nice creams and make ups, and things that would give her confidence.
Agnes Maher, of The Thoughtful Shopper, putting the gift boxes together.
The patient was so delighted she persuaded Agnes to make a business of creating hampers and the enterprising Portarlington woman did just that. She took a Start-Your-Own business course via Zoom and set up her website, www.thethoughtfulshopper.ie She then became an official charity partner of Breast Cancer Ireland.
The Thoughtful Shopper now provides a gift service for all occasions but is going back to its roots this October to create a special gift box called the Indulgence Edit. It will deliver the boxes to Breast Cancer Ireland for distribution and will make a donation of €20 per box sponsored to the organisation.
You can make a generous individual donation or do a whip-around in your social group, community or sports club to buy an Indulgence Edit for Breast Cancer Ireland.
Visit www.thethoughtfulshopper.ie for more information and follow the link on the main page. Updates on the initiative are available on her Instagram @thethoughtfulshopper.ie