Michael Flatley calling on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to designate 33rd county to cancer survivors

The symbolic county would be called Co. Saolfada, the county of survivors.

Breakthrough Cancer Research, along with celebrity ambassador and cancer survivor Michael Flatley have called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to designate a 33rd county to Irish cancer survivors.

The campaign aims to celebrate the 200,000 cancer survivors living in Ireland and highlight how research could ensure a further 9,000 survive each year.

The organisation added that if Irish cancer survivors had their own county, the population would be as big as Cork City.

The symbolic county would be called Co. Saolfada, the county of Survivors, a name derived from ‘long-life’. The charity said that it could be the "fastest-growing county in Ireland with greater investment in R&D for new cancer treatments", in a statement to JOE on Sunday.

The campaign was launched to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day as almost 45,000 people are diagnosed with cancer, and around 9,000 die from cancer in Ireland each year.

Former Lord Mayor of Cork, John Buttimer, has been appointed honorary mayor of the virtual new city, and Michael Flatley has been appointed its ambassador of culture.

The charity invests in research into cancer prevention, early diagnosis, less invasive treatments, and survivorship.

"We’re calling for more acknowledgment of this ever-growing population and county-level support," the statement continued. "A ‘County’ Council for Cancer Survivors would provide a place for survivors to have their input and voice in the research and services that impact them and their families. "It will represent and celebrate a population that has survived and lived longer thanks to scientific innovation and cancer research." Anyone who wishes to get involved can sign up on BreakthroughCancerResearch.ie/saolfada/ and you can watch Breakthrough Cancer Research's video here.