A new campaign is calling on people to become superheroes next month in order to raise funds for an essential service that allows children with cancer to receive treatment in the comfort of their own home.

The Paediatric Oncology Outreach Nursing Service (POONS) in Cork is the only service of its kind in Ireland. As well as serving the children of Cork, it also helps children in some areas in surrounding counties.

For the past five years, the Mercy Hospital Foundation has helped to fund this service through voluntary donations. However currently, a further €40,000 is needed to ensure it continues.

"Being able to deliver a home-based option to sick children enhances their quality of life and allows for some normalisation of family life during cancer treatment. It also means there is a reduction in hospital admissions and promotes early discharge from the hospital," explained Olga Buckley, a clinical nurse specialist at Mercy University Hospital.

She said that the service empowers families to manage at home as much as they can, and to regain some semblance of normal family life during a frightening and uncertain time.

To help raise funds, the Mercy Hospital Foundation is calling on people to become a ‘Mercy Hero' on October 19. This could involve dressing up, or dressing down, at work or school, having a local coffee morning or helping out with Mercy street collections around Cork.

"Our donors and supporters are wonderful real-life heroes that help to deliver the best research, diagnosis, treatment and care to patients every day at the Mercy University Hospital. Anyone can be a hero, and we want to celebrate our Mercy Heroes, so we are encouraging the people of Cork to join with us on October 19," commented Mercy Hospital Foundation CEO, Micheal Sheridan.

For more information, including fundraising ideas for anyone who would like to get involved, click here

*Pictured at the launch of the Mercy Heroes campaign are three of Cork's bravest superheroes, all of whom are patients at Mercy Univesity Hospital - Superman Kumail Alhlaichi (5) from Blackpool, Wonder Woman Alex Madden (6) from Aherla and Batman Olan Hanrahan from Charleville (7)