“I am truly blessed by all the care, help and dedication showed to me by the doctors and nurses in St James’s getting me through a very tough time in my life, a life I am so grateful for. Now 2 years on I am doing brilliantly, and am delighted to call myself a cancer survivor.”
Hi my name is Denis McDonnell and I am from Co. Limerick and this is my cancer story. I was first diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in May of 2017, at the age of 52. I had cancer of the vocal cords. I received 5 weeks of Radiation Therapy. In June of 2018 my E.N.T specialist noticed an abnormal area away from the treatment site and I was put under a general anaesthetic for another biopsy. I was then told that I would have to have a total Laryngectomy with lymph nodes removed as a precaution.
So, my journey started when I was sent up to St James’s Hospital Dublin for my major surgery on the 26th of July 2018. I had the best team behind me by having Dr Paul Lennon as my surgeon. I spent over 3 months in the St John’s ward not being able to eat, drink or speak due to complications due to my slow healing after Radiation.
So eventually things started to improve and the best moment I remember was getting my voice prosthesis put in, it was only a tiny little contraption, and because of this amazing technology I regained my speech, that was a very proud moment for me and my family.
I am truly blessed by all the care, help and dedication showed to me by the doctors and nurses in St James’s getting me through a very tough time in my life, a life I am so grateful for. Now 2 years on I am doing brilliantly, and am delighted to call myself a cancer survivor. Please donate and support the Cancer Appeal at St James’s Hospital and let us beat cancer together.
Thank you – Denis McDonnell
Thank you so much to Denis for taking the time to share her cancer journey with us.
St James's Day 