“She fainted in preschool, and thankfully they called an ambulance,”
“Being the parent of a child with cancer, it’s like being in a secret club that no one wants to be in,” says Shirley Keyes, whose daughter, Nicole, was diagnosed with Leukaemia in April 2023 when she was five years old. Her diagnosis came about after she fainted in preschool.
“She fainted in preschool, and thankfully they called an ambulance,” says Shirley. “I was in work when they called me, and I went to the preschool. She became responsive after a minute or two and she was playing hide-and-seek with the paramedics when I got there.
“They tested her blood sugar, and she was found to have low blood sugar levels despite the fact she had eaten a big breakfast only a short time previously. I brought her to Portincula Hospital in Ballinasloe, as I was afraid she may have undiagnosed diabetes. Nicole appeared very well and when we arrived in the ED she was singing and dancing around. The doctor took Nicole’s bloods and informed us that the paediatric team would also need to assess her.
“They then had to take a second blood sample and send it to Crumlin for analysis as there were suspicious looking cells showing up on her initial blood film. Later that evening, the paediatrician in Portincula Hospital confirmed the devastating news to us that Nicole had indeed some form of leukaemia.
“While in Crumlin, the consultant said Nicole was approximately one to two weeks off becoming symptomatic. She ended up requiring blood transfusions, as it was described by the team that the cancer cells were literally spilling out of her bone marrow into her blood and affecting her normal blood cells.”
This marked the beginning of Nicole’s course of treatment, which included multiple trips to theatre for the injection of chemotherapy into her spine, and she also had to have a Hickman line put in for the administration of IV chemotherapy and various other medications.
"I didn’t get to deliver my best man’s speech. There’s no shame in saying that all of that really hit me hard."
“The initial phase of treatment was extremely harsh on Nicole, but we understood that it needed to be done,” says Shirley. “Nicole wasn’t able to walk independently, she would fall if left unaided, she experienced severe nausea, overall swelling from the steroids and joint pain. Her hair started to fall out a few weeks after starting treatment which really did trigger with us that she was indeed a ‘sick’ child.
“She had six months of IV chemo, with intermittent trips to theatre for intrathecal chemo after this she went onto maintenance therapy, which involves her taking oral chemo daily. Once a week we take her bloods at home and send them to Crumlin, her team then advise us on the therapeutic dose of medication for the coming week. She must remain on this chemo until May 2025.”
“Everyone’s cancer experience will be different, but for me, talking to people and getting people around you and having that support network was so important."
Following the completion of his treatment, Mark organised a series of fundraising initiatives including a fun run in his native Wexford, and a number of coffee mornings in Wexford and Meath. “We were able to raise more than €28,000 to split between the Mater Hospital Foundation and the Irish Cancer Society. A huge amount of effort went in from my family and friends, and from the local clubs and organisations back home in Duncannon and in Trim. We raised awareness of cancer and vital funding for two brilliant organisations.”
Looking back on his cancer experience, Mark said what helped him through the most was his support network and having something positive to work towards post his treatment. “Everyone’s cancer experience will be different, but for me, talking to people and getting people around you and having that support network was so important. I was fortunate to have my family and my friends, but people should reach out and use local support services if you don’t have people around you. Don’t go through it on your own. Secondly, for me anyway, I had the idea of the fundraiser to give back and that gave me a positive mindset and it gave me something to aim for. I’m still on my maintenance treatment, and I’ll come off those tablets in January 2025. My girlfriend has also just gone past 20 weeks pregnant, so we’re also expecting a baby before the end of the year, which we’re over the moon with.”
Want to get involved in Daffodil Day this year? Join us on March 28, and go all in against cancer! Click the button below to find out all the ways you can take part in Daffodil Day this year!
