Ronan Keating has spoken about the heartbreak he and his family faced over the death of his mother, which could have been prevented.
The star lost his mother 20 years ago, and he and his family set up the Marie Keating foundation in her honour.
He explained how it pains him to think that her death could have been avoided.
“Mam died from one of the most curable forms of breast cancer which is horrible for us to think of that,” he told Ireland AM.
Ronan explained that in the 90s fewer people were inclined to go to the doctor when something was wrong.
“She came from a generation that was scared to go to the doctor and get checked, scared of doctors, that was what all the mammies were like.
“Sadly it went on too long and it got her in the end and it’s heartbreaking for us. We set up the foundation in the hope that other people wouldn’t go through what we went through, we naive and uneducated and we wanted to try and change that throughout the country.”
VIP Ireland
The Boyzone star also praised his family and friends for the work with the charity stating: “I’m only one piece on the puzzle.”
Storm married Ronan in 2015 and they had their first child in 2017, the presenter said it saddens her that she never met Marie but that she does feel that she is looking out for the couple.
“I feel like I know Marie, even from when Ronan and I first got to know each other it was something that was with us every single day. I feel like she was with us from the start, that might sound a bit crazy but it was a big decision for us to take the leap of faith and even be together, of course it was love but we were from other sides of the world,” she said.
“Even on our wedding day, it was the sunniest day in Scotland and she was looking down, definitely.”
She added: “Probably the greatest regret I’ll ever have in my life is not meeting Marie.”
The couple spoke about the incredible work carried out by the Marie Keating Foundation including the comfort fund.
“The comfort fund I am particularly passionate about, it gives finances to people at a time when they really need it,” Storm explained.
“Having cancer or having a family member who has cancer is heartbreaking enough but all of a sudden you’ve got all these bills and travel expensed and people need to stay in hotels and the family isn’t bringing as much income in. So what the comfort fund does is it gives families a little bit support to take the edge off an already difficult time,” she added.
They also spoke about the mobile units which provide assistance and information across Ireland.
“The mobile unit go to places where it’s not as accessible with clinics and hospitals. The units are free of charge and people can go on board and speak to a nurse about what to look for and how to look for it, because education is best,” Ronan said.