Community responds to help daughter (10) of ‘Bray Person of the Year' after cancer diagnosis

Irish Independent

5 days ago

There has been an overwhelming response to the appeal so far, which has received over 400 donations, raising just over €26,000.
Matt Keenan is the founder of Bray Community Lifeline, a suicide hotline, which he established last year to offer in-person assistance to those in crisis. Following a call-out for volunteers, Matt, who has qualifications in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), delivered suicide prevention and mental health training to the participants to act as first responders offering real-time, face-to-face intervention in the community.
On Monday, July 14, 2025, Matt's daughter, Caoimhe, was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive and rare form of childhood cancer, called Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).
Caoimhe, 'a bright, brave, and beautiful girl with a heart full of life', lives in Bray with her close-knit family – mum Martina, dad Matt, her older sister Cara, and big brother Jonathan.
She is currently in Crumlin Hospital, receiving an exceptionally strong combination of chemotherapy drugs and is on a very intensive treatment plan. Instead of a standard 21-day cycle (three days of chemo followed by 18 days off), Caoimhe is now being given chemo daily over her first weekend, followed by weekly treatments for at least the next seven weeks. This approach reflects just how urgently her doctors are trying to slow the cancer down.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare and fast-growing cancer that forms in muscle tissue. It affects approximately only 4.5 in every 1,000,000 children under the age of 10.
In Caoimhe's case, the tumour was found in the roof of her mouth, but it had already grown so aggressively that it pushed through the bone and into the space around her brain. Scans also revealed that it had spread to her lungs. Chemotherapy started just five days after the diagnosis.
The Keenan family have devoted much of their time to helping the community. Matt was honoured with the 2024 Bray Person Of The Year award for his role in reaching out to those in crisis, one of those life-saving calls even coming on Caoimhe's 10th birthday.
Martina is heavily involved in Bray Area Rough Sleepers Support, the voluntary organisation that provides a 'soup run' to Bray's homeless 365 days of the year.
The fundraising drive was set up by Matt's colleague, and is about 'giving the Keenan family room to breathe'.
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"To allow Martina and Matt to stop worrying about bills, groceries, or mortgages and focus entirely on Caoimhe's care, recovery, and comfort during this brutal fight ahead,' the appeal said.
The support will go directly to the Keenans so they can cover urgent household and medical costs, take time off work without having financial concerns and so they can be present with Caoimhe throughout her treatment.
The community has so far responded very generously to the appeal, to date having raised just over €26,400, but there is some way to go to meet the target required.
Matt wanted to thank all of those who have reached out to make donations.
'Our focus is Caoimhe's battle and recovery,' he said. 'We are grateful for all the support and love that is allowing us to stay focused on our daughter and family.'
As Matt's colleague noted, there are people alive today because of Matt, Martina and their work. You can now support them by donating at: gofundme.com/f/team-caoimhe-help-her-beat-aggressive-childhood-cancer