Noel McGrath has been named the Tipperary Person of the Year for his work in cancer awareness, a year after he himself was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
McGrath was diagnosed with the disease in 2015 at the age of 24 and underwent surgery to treat it last April.
The Tipperary hurler has spent the year raising awareness about testicular cancer among young men and his work was honoured at a ceremony on Saturday, 5 March in the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Dublin.
Speaking at the event, Liam Myles, President of the Tipperary Association Dublin, acknowledged the “courageous way he publicly acknowledged his illness”.
Tipperary’s Noel McGrath introduced as a second half sub in the All Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final against Galway last August. Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie
He went on to praise how “he highlighted testicular cancer and the need for males — young and old — to be monitored and checked” and explained that this had made him the obvious choice for the accolade.
The Gaelic Players Association said in a statement today that it was “in these roles, and in a number of public appearances, he has made a huge contribution to help break the ‘taboo’ that has traditionally existed around male cancer and testicular cancer in particular.”
h/t The42
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