Brazilian visitors to Templemore

Templemore Community Services were delighted to recently welcome Dr Adelaide Portela together with her sister Antonia and her sister-in-law Marlene to the centre.

The Portelas were delighted to see first-hand the excellent work being undertaken in the day care centre and to experience its legendary food, welcome and hospitality. They express their grateful thanks to Clara, Fiona, Mary and the excellent team for their warm welcome.

Dr Portela is a leading oncologist in the Amazon region of Brazil, based in the city of Manaus. Her current project includes helping people in remote Amazonian tribes to avail of cancer treatment. The commencement of this treatment can involve river journeys for patients of very limited means of over 18 days from the remote areas where they live, to arrive in Manaus to start their treatment.

The challenge is to find a place where the patient and their companion can stay during these difficult months so far from home. It is for this reason that Dr Portela has started a project in Manaus called 'Maria’s House', which currently provides accommodation for over 100 people during this traumatic time. Plans exist to provide even more such accommodation.

The Portela ladies really enjoyed their time in Templemore and in particular meeting with the local people. They visited the Sacred Heart Church, the Cottage in Loughmore and the local coffee houses, but their greatest joy was strolling around our beautiful town park.

They visited many other locations in Ireland, but Templemore, with its legendary Ceád Míle Fáilte, was declared their favourite place during their tour. They return to Brazil with a wealth of happy memories of their time in Ireland.