Laura was sixteen when she collapsed in school. There were no symptoms, no warning signs. Her GP diagnosed Influenza Type B.
A week later her blood results were abnormal and she went for more tests and waited anxiously for the results.
“I still remember the day with striking clarity. When my doctor said ‘Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia’ my body went rigid. Tears streamed down my face.”
Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, commonly referred to as CML, is a slow growing cancer which affects the white blood cells and bone marrow. It is a life long illness, for which there is no cure as such, but it is very manageable through medication. Laura rapidly responded to the treatment, is now in major molecular response and is doing very well.
She refuses to let it rule.
Now at 22 she is living a very happy life.
Laura with boyfriend Ben
She’s in the final year of Nutritional Sciences in UCC, has lived away from home, has traveled and as her father says, she never stops gallivanting!
At any time at all, you can pick up your phone and text the word DARE to 50300 to donate €4 to the Irish Cancer Society.
Text costs €4. Irish Cancer Society will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278
This year for Dare To Care we want YOU to be a Dancer For Cancer:
Today FM Shows have all chosen different songs they want to be the anthem for Our National Day of Dancing.
The song with the most votes will be the song the nation will dance to on April 30th.
Who will you vote for? Listen throughout the day today, Thursday, as each show announces what song they'll be championing!
Ian Dempsey - Walk The Moon – Shutup and Dance - text DANCE 1 to 50300
Dermot & Dave - One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful text DANCE 2 to 50300
Muireann O Connell - Lady GaGa - Just Dance - text DANCE 3 to 50300
Fergal D'Arcy - Gavin James – Hearts on Fire - text DANCE 4 to 50300
Matt Cooper - Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop The Feeling - text DANCE 5 to 50300
Text costs €4. Irish Cancer Society will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
By 2020, one in two of us will get a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime.
However, more people are surviving cancer than ever before in large part to cancer research.
There are now more than 200,000 cancer survivors in Ireland.
More information
Share your powerful stories with us at [email protected], or post using #DareToCare
You can reach The Irish Cancer Society here: [email protected] or call 1850 606060.
Where does my money go?
€60 will cover the cost of a counselling session to help a person cope with a cancer diagnosis in their life
€75 will provide in-depth consultations on our Cancer Nurseline for three people
€120 pays for five Spill Kits for Volunteer Drivers in the event a patient is ill in their car
Irish Cancer Society Night Nurses ensure that families of patients and their loved ones remain in the comfort and dignity of their own home.
€306 provides one night of care for a patient during the last days of their life.
