Kevin and Cathy Healy speak on cancer diagnosis

Popular Derry couple Kevin and Cathy Healy renewed their wedding vows recently in the midst of heartbreaking life challenges.
The poignant ceremony took place in St Columba’s Church, Longtower, in the face of Kevin’s diagnosis of terminal cancer.

Best known for running William Street Stores in the city, Kevin and Cathy are hoping to spend some time in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel this week, back where they celebrated their wedding reception 30 years ago.

Over a cuppa in their Old City Close home, the modest couple told Derry News how they had loved running their shop and the need for persistence if you were feeling unwell.

On a humorous note, it was hard not to laugh at Kevin’s unfiltered Derry directness when he said was “affronted” by an ongoing family and friends fundraiser to send Cathy and himself on a wee holiday, maybe in Portugal, later this month, so we did.

The son of Neil and Veronica Healy (née Monaghan), Kevin (54) was born in Ann Street in the Brandywell. The family moved to the newly built Carnhill not long after.

“It was Cathy who came up with the idea of opening William Street Stores,” smiled Kevin.

“We rented the building in June 2017 but it was just four walls when we went into it. Cathy used to work in Bus Stop Stores in Foyle Street, so she knew what to do and it just took off. We started the deliveries about September or October. We just did them ourselves.

“Initially it was people in the area and family and friends but it wasn’t long before we were getting more and more business through word of mouth. We worked all through covid when there was a high demand for deliveries.

“Some of the old people’s homes were even ringing asking if we could supply them with different things. We just said, ‘Aye’. At times we were bringing them big trays of buns free, just so the patients could enjoy a wee treat during lockdown.

“We felt sorry for them because they couldn’t get any visitors. Families were standing outside windows looking in.

“In all fairness, most people who shopped with us then seemed to have stayed with us.”
Cathy was quick to thank Kevin’s sister, Anna [Wallace] and cousin, Margaret [Noble] for organising the fundraiser, following Kevin’s diagnosis of stage 4 prostate cancer in May.

Kevin, who has three children, Amy, Kevin and Sean, overcame testicular cancer in his 30s.

“About a year and a half ago, Kevin started getting breathless and he doesn’t smoke, so I told him to go to the doctor. The bottom of his back was also extremely sore,” said Cathy, who wanted other men to be aware of possible symptoms.

“I would say to anyone who is having ongoing difficulty going to the toilet, not to hesitate to go to their doctor. Kevin’s legs also started to swell up.

“We knew he had cancer,” said Cathy simply. “We were told in May Kevin had only months to live.”

According to Cathy, she and Kevin “have their moments” over the future when there is no-one else around.

“It is breaking my heart watching a big strong man disintegrate,” she said.

“Before I do bite the dust, I do want to see Buncrana for the last time,” said Kevin. “I love Buncrana and I want to go down to the beach, especially in this good weather, and visit Dunree Fort and Swan Park. I was raised in all those places.”