The late Shona Heffernan
BELOVED daughter and sister, Shona Heffernan, of 32 Hillside Drive, Crooke, Passage East, and of Shannagh Bay Nursing Residence, Bray, handed away on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
Shona was the inspiration behind the non-profit organisation ‘The Shona Venture’, which goals to help ladies.
Shona was identified with AVM Arteriovenous Malformations, a kind of acquired mind damage, in her teenagers. She fought bravely towards the illness for a few years, whereas rising up in Passage East, Waterford.
In 2016, her sister Tammy Darcy began ‘The Shona Venture’ in her honour and to rejoice her braveness and hope. Tammy introduced the heart-breaking information on the venture’s web site on Wednesday.
She wrote: “My sister Shona handed away peacefully surrounded by her household and in the easiest of care of the workforce at St Vincent’s Hospital Dublin. I’ve by no means identified anybody to battle so lengthy and so exhausting, with such defiance and stubbornness.
“Shona was ailing, incapacitated and debilitated, however she was by no means weak.”
Beloved sister
Tammy Darcy mentioned of her beloved older sister, “regardless of how exhausting I attempted to catch up as a baby, Shona all the time remained a strong 18 months older than me. Despite this, we bonded over a shared love of rice pudding, fancy pages and erasers that smelt like strawberries.
“Persona-wise we have been complete opposites, Shona was a delicate and delicate soul, glad to associate with no matter everybody else was doing and stare dreamily on the clouds on the best way. I, however, had a steely dedication to succeed at the whole lot, even at that stage. I all the time competed with myself, as Shona had no time for my bull s**t, and felt I used to be a bit dramatic for her style.
“Shona had a vibrant future in entrance of her. She was lovely, good, mild and loving. Any individual would have been very fortunate to have her as a spouse sometime, and she or he would have made a tremendous mom to some very fortunate youngsters if she had been given the possibility.
“Sadly, this wasn’t to be. Between the ages of 13 and 15 Shona began struggling to do regular on a regular basis issues and was ultimately identified with AVM Arteriovenous Malformations. Her well being started deteriorating in a short time and my dad and mom have been advised that she would in all probability move away inside a few yr.”
Shona defied the percentages for greater than 20 extra years. In current instances, she wanted 24-hour nursing care, dropping all contact with the surface world.
Some years in the past Tammy mentioned of her sister, “I’ve misplaced the sister I believed I’d share my life with. We are going to by no means snort, cry and dance collectively, share late-night cellphone calls, Friday night time cocktails or girly procuring weekends. By naming this organisation “The Shona Venture” I really feel like she is, despite her sickness, creating an impression on the world, and other people will know who she is, and that she’s nonetheless right here.”
On Wednesday final, in tribute to her sister, Tammy wrote concerning the impression of the venture and the legacy that Shona leaves behind:
“In her identify, the Shona Venture has supported tens of hundreds of ladies in each nook of Eire. Every of these ladies is aware of who she is, and understands how essential her legacy is. Her story has impressed so many younger girls to take higher care of themselves and one another, to make use of their voices to create change and impression and to grasp and admire how essential they’re to the world.
“Whereas a lot of our neighborhood by no means met Shona in particular person, I do know that they’d an affinity along with her and the sisterhood she represents.
“They are saying you die twice. One time once you cease respiration and a second time, a bit afterward, when anyone says your identify for the final time. If that is true, Shona will dwell on for a protracted, very long time.”
Funeral
Shona’s household will now take the time to say goodbye to their beloved sister, daughter, aunt and buddy, earlier than constructing on her unbelievable legacy.
Shona is predeceased by her sister Jemma and her father Dermot. She is survived by her mom Liz, sister Tammy, brother Sean, brother-in-law Fergus, sister-in-law Tracey, nieces and nephews, Sean, Freya, Zach, Daisy and Dylan.
Reposing at Colliers Funeral Residence, Outdated Connaught Avenue, Bray, from 1pm on Friday, February 3, adopted by Funeral Service within the Funeral Residence at 2pm after which a Committal Service will happen at 3.45pm within the Backyard Chapel, Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harold’s Cross. Household flowers solely please. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers on The Shona Venture web site.
Shona’s funeral service can be livestreamed on churchservices.television.
Might she Relaxation in Peace.
