Member Story 2025: Irish Cancer Society

The Irish Cancer Society has had the immense privilege of being a member of Health Research Charities Ireland for many years. As the national cancer charity in Ireland, HRCI provides an invaluable platform to connect with organisations across the health research community, both within cancer and across other disease areas. Through this collaboration, we have been able to come together as a collective voice to advocate for meaningful improvements in health research in Ireland.

I have been personally involved with HRCI since 2018 and have always found the organisation and its network to be an incredibly valuable source of support, insight, and shared learning. It is a welcoming and collaborative community of like-minded individuals, and the opportunities to learn from others have greatly enhanced my own approach to embedding research within the charity sector.

A particular strength of HRCI is its strong commitment to Public and Patient Involvement (PPI). The PPI Shared Learning Group has been an essential resource for my team as we have developed and strengthened our own PPI work within the Society. It provides a trusted space for open and honest discussion, enabling members to share experiences, exchange ideas, and explore best practice in supporting meaningful patient partnerships.

The staff team at HRCI are a genuinely supportive and welcoming group of individuals, always available and willing to assist their members in any way they can. This personalised and member-focused approach makes a real difference, providing reassurance that support is always there when needed.

I was proud to be invited to join the Board of Directors of HRCI in 2024. Being able to contribute to guiding and shaping an organisation from which I have gained so much is a true privilege, and I look forward to supporting its continued growth and impact in advancing health research across Ireland.

Dr Claire Kilty

Head of Research, Irish Cancer Society