“Cancer is a bastard for cutting your time short,” – Katie Kerins, (24) Castleisland, Co. Kerry in the course of her final summer.
The late Katie Kerins of Castleisland, Co. Kerry lost her battle with cancer on Monday, February 2nd just gone. Even on her final few days she was looking forward to the birth of a litter of pups she had bred late last year.
She wanted to have a pup around her when she came home from hospital as she was fighting to get well at that time.
Poignantly, the litter of six were born on the day she passed away in Cork University Hospital. They are now a hardy two months old and full of life and up to all kinds of mischief.
Katie’s dad, Liam and her sisters have agreed that the pups will now go on sale to help raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.
“She was home at the end of last year and she decided to breed her favorite cross so that she’d have a pup or two around her.
She was so looking forward to the birth of the pups even though she was fading away from us at the time they were due. I was hoping to tell her that they had been born that day but I didn’t get the chance,” said Liam.
“We’ve decided that we’ll auction or sell them off and let the money go to help in fighting the disease that took Katie from us. She crossed a Springer Spaniel (mom) and a Border Collie and they’ve turned out beautifully – strong legs and lovely, long ears. We have one boy and five girls in the litter and two of them are a lovely, chocolate brown and white. They’ll make great pets as both breeds have a lovely calm temperament,” said Liam.
“We’ll be looking for good homes for Katie’s puppies and if anyone out there would like to bid for one of them they can ring us here at home any day after 4pm on: 066 71 43 775,” Liam concluded.
Though only 24 years-of-age, Katie had seen much more pain and suffering in this life that her years should have allowed. She fought a long and spirited fight against the disease which eventually took her.
In only her mid teens, in July 2006, she had to cope with the death of her mom, Ingrid and the anguish and pain a traumatic event of that nature inflicts on a young family.
Even in the midst of the darkness of her battle with her own mortality last summer she wrote – with typically forthright Katie passion – of the passing of a friend she had made during her time in hospital:
“Sadly one of the nicest people I met while in hospital passed away! Heaven gains one of the kindest, most genuine persons I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting and Cancer is a bastard for cutting your time short. R.I.P Ray Allen.” – John Reidy jreidy@mainevalleypost.com 3-4-2015
