Co Armagh mum's death 'robbed' family after cancer treatment halted due to Covid-19

THE family of a Co Armagh woman who died following a battle with cancer have said she will be remembered as a "real lady".

Alice McCann, who was 58 and from Tandragee, died on Saturday at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry - weeks after her treatment was stopped due to Covid-19.

A mother-of-three had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and was treated with radiotherapy and surgery before going into remission.

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However, in 2016, she was diagnosed with secondary bone cancer and had surgery.

A usually very active person, she gave up work to recover.

Last year, it was found that Alice's partner of 23 years, Eamonn McCann had liver cancer.

The couple married last February. Mr McCann, who was 58, died a month later.

In recent times, Alice had been back and forth to the hospital for appointments. However, in March she was informed by doctors that the cancer had moved into her liver and lungs.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, her treatment was stopped and she was advised to shield at home.

She was cared for by her daughter Nuala while other family members, including her youngest daughter, Catherine found it difficult to have limited contact during this time.

Earlier this month, she was taken into Daisy Hill Hospital for blood transfusions after it was found her blood count was low.

On Saturday, the grandmother-of-one died in hospital with two of her daughters and her sister by her bedside.

Speaking to The Irish News, Ellen Donnelly, who works for the United Nations in Sierra Leone and is making the journey home for her mother's funeral, said the family were in shock adding they had hoped Alice would have "another six months".

"Almost as soon as she started cocooning she was just getting worse and worse," she said.

"We feel she was neglected. Everything was delayed. It just felt like it wasn't great. I got talking to her on Facetime. My sisters and my auntie were with her in the end and we are so thankful for that because we know a lot of families don't get that."

Ms Donnelly said her mother would be remembered as someone who was kind.

"She was so family orientated - a really friendly, chatty person, very easy going with everyone that she knew," she said.

"She was non-judgmental and she brought us up to treat everyone equally. She really was a great mummy. She would have always done the best for us. She was a strong person."

Ellen said the family felt "a wee bit robbed".

"I do feel a bit like maybe if it wasn't for the Covid, she would still be here," she added.

"We are just going to miss her. We loved her so much like. We are heartbroken. We all have a big hole in our hearts now."