What We Do
Everything we do sits under three pillars: support, education and advocacy. We receive no government or HSE funding — all of it is paid for by donations from the public, and delivered by an unpaid board and a volunteer network across every county.
Support
Patient & Family Support Group – a monthly online group for people living with sarcoma and for their families and carers, facilitated by an accredited psychotherapist.
Bereavement Support Group – a monthly online group for anyone who has lost a loved one to sarcoma.
In-person peer support groups – face-to-face groups in locations around the country, including Cork, Dublin and Limerick.
One-to-one counselling – free, confidential online sessions with accredited psychotherapists, open to patients, family members, carers and the bereaved.
Support Line – a free, confidential phone and WhatsApp line on 085 769 4115, answered by trained volunteers with personal experience of sarcoma. Tuesdays 10am–1pm and Thursdays 5pm–8pm.
Patient Support Grant – a once-off €500 payment for newly diagnosed patients and those in active treatment.
Play Therapy Funding Grant – accredited play therapy for children whose parent has been diagnosed with sarcoma.
Funeral Grant – a once-off €500 payment to eligible families after the loss of a loved one to sarcoma.
AYA voucher support – food and coffee vouchers for adolescent and young adult patients facing long hospital stays.
Education
Public awareness campaigns – sustained campaigns during Sarcoma Awareness Month in July and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, reaching thousands through social media, local events and educational materials.
GP Education Initiative – Diagnosing Sarcoma: A Guide for GPs, developed with clinicians at St Vincent’s University Hospital and distributed to more than 1,700 GP practices, with free printed copies available on request.
Patient Information Day – an annual event co-hosted with the Irish Sarcoma Group, bringing patients, families, clinicians and researchers together.
Information resources – plain-English information on diagnosis, treatment, subtypes and living with sarcoma, published on this website.
Advocacy
National representation – advocating for earlier diagnosis, clear referral pathways, sustainable specialist staffing and equal access to specialist care wherever a patient lives.
International representation – membership of the Sarcoma Patient Advocacy Global Network (SPAGN), a network of more than 60 patient organisations across five continents.
Working with clinicians and researchers – collaboration with the Irish Sarcoma Group and the national sarcoma teams, and work with CHI and Childhood Cancer Ireland on transitions from paediatric to AYA services.
Our Impact
In 2024 we provided 56 patient grants of €500, 77 one-to-one counselling sessions, 12 online support groups and 2 bereavement groups, and launched our AYA voucher initiative.
In 2025 that grew to 68 patient grants, 148 counselling sessions, 24 online support groups and 5 in-person groups in Cork, Dublin and Limerick — and our GP flyer reached every GP practice in the Republic of Ireland.
In the first half of 2026 we provided 34 grants, 103 counselling sessions, 7 patient support groups, 7 bereavement groups and 2 in-person groups, launched our Support Line, and introduced two new family support grants.
How We Are Run
Sarcoma Cancer Ireland CLG is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity, governed by a voluntary Board of Directors made up of sarcoma patients, survivors and carers. The Board is supported by a Management Committee and six sub-committees: Advocacy & Education, Communications & PR, Finance, Fundraising, Risk & Administration, and Support. Our accounts and activities are published each year in our Annual Report.