A once-off grant from the Department of Health to a cancer fund set up by Ireland and Leeds soccer star Gary Kelly means a support centre in Drogheda for cancer patients and their families will open on time and debt-free.
The Gary Kelly Drogheda Cancer Support Centre is the idea of the 28-year-old defender, who lost his sister, Mandy (35), to breast cancer in 1998.
A number of fundraising events have taken place to buy and renovate a large house close to Drogheda town centre.
The centre will provide counselling, support and information to people diagnosed with cancer and for those who care for them.
The confirmation from the Department that it will make a payment of €200,000 for capital costs has been warmly welcomed, but the organising committee says that more funds will be needed to cover running costs.
Kelly's testimonial match in Leeds raised around €1 million two years ago, and the bulk of that went to the fund.
A charity golf tournament last year also raised money, but a spokesman for the local committee says "we will still need ongoing funds to cover our running costs, including paying salaries for two staff.
"We are extremely grateful for the unbelievable support we have received from the local community in Drogheda to date, and to secure the grant from the Department is a dream come true.
"It means we will now be able to open the centre in early March and debt-free."