To mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a striking new installation at Dundrum Town Centre is asking people to think about the things children can continue to carry with them long after childhood cancer treatment has ended.
Childhood Cancer Ireland has launched ‘Things We Still Carry’ to raise awareness this September.
The installation takes the form of an oversized school bag, using a familiar symbol of childhood to highlight some of the less visible experiences that can follow a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Inside the bag are everyday items and fragments of school and home life, each reimagined to represent the realities faced by children and their families.
Childhood Cancer Ireland – Things We Still Carry – CCI's Alex Petrilli & Ruby Shannon
They include gaps in school attendance records marking time spent away from the classroom, ‘get well soon’ cards received during difficult periods and family calendars shaped around hospital appointments.
The campaign explores experiences including fear, anxiety, isolation and uncertainty, as well as the difficulty of returning to everyday life after treatment.
It asks a simple question: What if the hardest things a child carries can’t be seen?
Childhood Cancer Ireland says that the need for support does not necessarily end when a child finishes treatment.
In 2025 alone, the charity provided 700 hours of Clinical Psychology and 390 hours of Play Therapy, alongside hundreds of peer-support engagements and educational supports for children, young people and their families.
Childhood Cancer Ireland – Things We Still Carry – Laura Cullinan, Michelle Regazzoli Stone, Ruby Shannon, Yvonne Shannon & Alex Petrilli
Childhood Cancer Ireland Ambassador Michelle Regazzoli Stone joined CEO Laura Cullinan, Chairperson Alex Petrilli, 12-year-old cancer survivor Ruby Shannon and her mum Yvonne to launch the installation at Dundrum Town Centre.
Speaking about the campaign, Michelle said: “What really struck me about ‘Things We Still Carry’ is how something as ordinary as a school bag can represent so much more – the worries, missed experiences and emotions that a child can continue to carry even after their treatment has finished.”
Throughout September, Childhood Cancer Ireland is also encouraging people across the country to ‘Go Gold’, the international symbol of childhood cancer awareness.
Members of the public can get involved by wearing a gold ribbon pin, holding a coffee morning or fundraising event, taking part in a challenge, or organising a #GoGold day at a school or sports club.
Childhood Cancer Ireland – Things We Still Carry – Ruby Shannon & her mum Yvonne Shannon, and mascot Misneach!
The charity will also hold its annual Light It Up Gold Walk on September 12th in Maynooth, Co Kildare. The event will bring together families, survivors, bereaved families and members of the wider community to raise awareness and show solidarity with those affected by childhood cancer.
According to the National Cancer Registry Ireland, 87% of children aged between 0 and 15 who were diagnosed with cancer between 2011 and 2019 were alive five years after their diagnosis. Outcomes vary considerably depending on the type of cancer, but the figure also highlights the growing number of children and families who may need support after treatment has ended.
Childhood Cancer Ireland says greater awareness is needed around the emotional and psychological challenges that can emerge during this period, and wants families to know that support is available.
Childhood Cancer Ireland – Things We Still Carry – Alex Petrilli, Laura Cullinan & Michelle Regazzoli Stone
‘Things We Still Carry’ will be on display at Dundrum Town Centre until September 7th, giving members of the public an opportunity to see the installation and learn more about the experiences of children and families affected by childhood cancer.
