One person in Ireland still dies every hour from cancer.

This week, as the clocks go back and we all gain an extra 60-minutes, Breakthrough Cancer Research has launched a fundraising appeal encouraging everyone to use them to help ‘Buy Back Time’ for cancer patients who have lost months to Covid-19.

The charity is asking people to donate an hour of their time to raise much-needed funds to help restart cancer research programmes into new and more effective cancer treatments that were put on hold at the onset of the pandemic.

To get involved in the Buy Back Time appeal, you can simply donate the value of an hour or your time on breakthroughcancerresearch.ie/buybacktime, or stretch that hour even further by hosting a virtual fundraising event or by joining one of Breakthrough’s events.  You can also text BCR to 50300 (texts cost €4).

Comedians, influencers, Olympians, cancer survivors, and entertainers have already committed to a series of online events over the Buy Back Time Halloween weekend to help raise awareness and funds.

Here are six events to check out this week:
All events are free to attend online but donations are appreciated.

• All week:  The Fright Time Run: The crazy crew at The Nightmare Realm are challenging the nation to #Run4Donate4Tag4 over the Halloween midterm break:  Run, walk or crawl 4k in costume (or with your best scary face) within your 5k limit, donate €4* to Breakthrough Cancer Research (text BCR to 50300), post your scare pic and a screenshot of your donation using the hashtags #BuyBackTime and #Run4Donate4Tag4, and tag 4 friends to take on the challenge! The best post will win a Molly Mahem bobblehead in a coffin!

• Friday, October 30th, 8pm: ‘The Witching Hour’ conversation and reading with author and comedian Colm O’Regan and Aoife Barry, assistant news editor of TheJournal.ie.
• Saturday, October 31st, 5pm: Tweens’ Halloween book reading with cancer survivor and author Nicola Pierce for 9 to 12-year-olds, followed by a Q&A (approx. 20 mins)
• Saturday, October 31st, 6pm:  Comedy quiz and singalong with comedian Edwin Sammon from Bridget & Eamon and Republic of Telly with some interesting guest appearances.
• Saturday, October 31st, 8.30pm:  Resilience and Women in Sport: Irish Times sportswriter Joanne O’Riordan (No Limbs, No Limits) in conversation with double World and European Rowing Champion, Sanita Puspure. Sanita lost her sister to cancer before going on to retain her World Championship title in 2019 where she qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics which have been postponed to 2021 due to the impact of Covid19.
• Sunday, November 1st, 7.30pm: Style event with Irish stylist Laura Jordan from StyleSavvy.ie.

These events and others can be booked on breakthroughcanceresearch.ie/buybacktime.