Helen Cody is one of Ireland’s leading fashion designers whose designs are coveted for their intricacy and elegance. A huge supporter of cancer sufferers having come through her own experience with the disease, she is currently focussing on raising money for a young mother, Holly Kennedy, who needs to raise funds to attend a drug trial in America. Here she answers our questions on her life in midlife…

Which three adjectives describe you best?

Resilient, spontaneous, creative.

What is on your mind most these days?

Health and happiness.

What is the last thing that you said no to?

Travelling abroad.

What is the last thing you said yes to?

Funding #HollysTrial to help my friend, Holly Kennedy, who is undergoing cancer treatment

What made you decide to do what you are now doing in your life?

I've always wanted to be a designer as far back as I can remember, even as a little girl, sewing with my Mum

How many things have you been in your life so far?

Roller disco junior champion, swimmer, student, stylist, designer, artist, mother, wife, cancer survivor, fundraiser, ambassador for Arc cancer support.

Where do you come in your family, and did this have any influence on you?

I was the youngest and so the baby, I think my siblings still treat me like the baby even though I'm 54 !

Are you where you wanted to be at this stage in your life?

I'm way beyond where I wanted to be because I'm very happy, and I love my life and my work which is still evolving and teaching me to be resilient.

What is the best piece of advice you have received in your life so far?

I love my Dads quote “hurry slowly", it suits most dilemmas.

What does midlife feel like to you?

It has meant many things, I'm way more chilled, I'm not afraid of failure, or showing my vulnerability, and has been very empowering. It frees me up to try new things.

Is there something you have dreamt of doing for a long time? Are you going to do it?

I have dreamt of returning to painting and I'm applying to the RHA painting school this Autumn, fingers crossed I get in.

Has there been a place, event, or experience that has transformed your thinking or given you a new perspective? And what changed after that?

The most transformative experience in my life was the death of my baby boy Ethan on the 12th of July 2003. The grief you feel after such a loss is like a kind of madness. When this subsided, the sadness took over and that lasted a very long time.

It made me rethink everything. I wanted to honour him in everything I did. It’s something I still try to do every day.

Is there something you love now, that you couldn’t imagine you would like in the past?

Lots. I think as we get more tolerant of things, there is a softening at the edges; an openness, with less judgment, which allows more possibilities in.

Is there a milestone you are working towards in your personal or professional life at the moment?

My dream is to have an exhibition of my paintings someday, I'm nearly ready for that now, but it's something I know I will get to as I've been obsessively drawing since lockdown and it's become my mental yoga, I just love it.

How do you think the world of work can improve for women?

I think as someone who has always worked for myself, 'your only limit is you" I've never let gender stop me nor have I ever encountered prejudice in my career, thankfully.

What do you spend too much time doing? And what do you spend too little doing?

I'm guilty of being obsessed with Instagram, it's pretty much how I run my business online and I spend way too much time on it. I don't spend enough time exercising which I really have to work on!

How do you care for your own wellbeing?

I walk my beloved dogs, Harry and Joe, every day twice a day. If I need to switch off I only have to pick up a pen and start drawing it has the most calming effect on me, I also love the ritual of cooking, starting with a visit to my favourite foodie shops, and enjoying the day preparing food for friends.

What do you feel free of now that you are at this life stage?

The need to appear like I've got it all going on, I'm more honest about my life and care much less what people think of me.

What gives you the most stress at this life stage?

My health is a worry, although I'm fully recovered from my breast cancer, I'd be lying if I said I didn't ever think about it coming back.

Do you sleep well?

I'm the worlds worst sleeper. My creative brain doesn't seem to need much sleep even though the rest of me craves it. I take medication for cancer which makes me very hot at night and really interferes with my sleep.

What advice would you offer to yourself in your 20’s, 30’s and 40’s?

Go for it. Go for it. Go for it!

Did you ever feel lost in your life path? How did you find your way again?

I've had some dark periods where I never thought I'd have another creative idea, luckily, I know myself quite well and I know to not panic. Give it time, switch off, do something else and the ideas will come.

What do you love about yourself?

My optimism.

When do you feel truly alive?

By the sea, walking with my husband and my gorgeous dogs - it doesn't get any better!

What do you consider your biggest achievement?

I'm not sure about achievement but I'm very proud of the work I have done with Arc cancer support, they were amazing to me when I was sick and it's so wonderful to be able to help them

What was a major turning point in your life?

Meeting my incredible husband.

What are you looking forward to in the coming months?

I'm lucky that I run my own business and I'm so happy to go there every day, working with my small team creating new work , it's something I always look forward to.

Are you a good friend?

I hope I am a good friend, my best friend Nicola and I have known each other since we were 4 and have been through so many ups and downs, we have always been there for each other.

Couture Dress designed by Helen that is being raffled to raise money for Holly Kennedy’s cancer treatment.

What in life is beautiful to you? Where do you find inspiration?

I think the simple things are the most beautiful, something I learned during my cancer treatment. I find inspiration everywhere…

Any regrets?

My biggest regret and a very tough one for me is not having children of my own.

Knowing what you know now, what is most important in life?

Love, doing things with love, acting on love, being in love.

What makes you feel at home?

Laughter, a little messiness here and there, and a warm welcome.

Favourite piece of music, and why?

Chopin’s fifth symphony, because when I listen to it I feel like my lovely father is with me, he loved classical music.

Last time you cried (tears of joy count!)

Last time I cried was yesterday, about Holly Kennedy’s cancer coming back, she has a little 4-year-old boy called Andrew who needs his mummy to be well again, So I'm fundraising to help with her cancer treatment by raffling one of my dresses with all proceeds going to her.

Watch Helen talk about the raffle to win the beautiful dress pictured above on her Instagram here and support the fundraising for Holly Kennedy at this link if you can.