Gold Ribbon Conversations

We have a guest returning to Gold Ribbon Conversations this week.

We last spoke to Karl Corcoran about 18 months ago - as a young adult Karl had been diagnosed and beaten lymphoma but it had left a legacy of concerns for him as a young adult wanting to build a life for himself : fertility + career.

What we didn’t know then was that Karl would go on to be a dad and he would go on to find a role that aligned with his unique experience and talents.

This catch up episode is here to show us all that we don’t know what positives are around the corner and as KArl says, how important it is to just take it day by day, hour by hour and never let cancer define you. 

To help us to continue our services please text GOLD to FIVE ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses the loss of a child to cancer.

If you have been impacted by the loss of a child, you will find information, resources and support at Anam Cara, an organisation which supports parents after bereavement. They also have information for siblings, grandparents and other family members, which may be helpful.

Colleen McNally joins me as we remember her gorgeous boy Daragh.

Shortly after turning 11, Daragh became unwell. He was sick for five weeks and five days before he passed away. 

Daragh was an incredibly special little boy. Daragh’s autism was moderate to severe.

Here we talk about his autism, how he was always at the centre of family life, the shock of his acute illness and the legacy of grief they share as a family. 

It’s both beautiful and heartbreaking. And we thank Colleen for her words and for sharing Daragh’s story with us. 

https://childhoodcancer.ie/story/daragh-mcnally/ 

Please text GOLD to 50300 and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Childhood Cancer Ireland is a charity founded by and led by parents of children with cancer who know that one of the greatest sources of strength for this fight, is conversation. As a non-government funded organisation, Childhood Cancer Ireland values every single donation. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura and Adrian Healy join me on this episode to talk about their 2 year old son Jamie.

Just 4 months before recording, Jamie was diagnosed with Leukaemia and their lives changed overnight.

With 3 older sisters at home, their normal busy chaotic family life needed endless support from family, friends, the team at St John’s ward and other charities like Barretstown and Aoibhinns Pink Tie. 

Laura and Adrian are still very much in shock, it’s very early days for them but Jamie is doing really well and this is an essential listen for any family who is newly diagnosed, scared, lonely and searching for other families going through the same. 

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Please text GOLD to 50300 and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Childhood Cancer Ireland is a charity founded by and led by parents of children with cancer who know that one of the greatest sources of strength for this fight, is conversation. As a non-government funded organisation, Childhood Cancer Ireland values every single donation. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses the loss of a child to cancer.

If you have been impacted by the loss of a child, you will find information, resources and support at Anam Cara, an organisation which supports parents after bereavement. They also have information for siblings, grandparents and other family members, which may be helpful.

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Joining me today are the parents of Oscar Keogh and the founders of Oscar Kids a charity creating magic moments for those with a palliative care or terminal diagnosis.  - Yavanna  and Lar Keogh.

Oscar was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, when he was 3 and a half and left this world with all his mischievous love on the 29th July 2019. 

During his illness his parents decided to live and find magic in everyday.

This was the beginning of helping other families to have these moments with their terminally ill children too.

Here we celebrate Oscar, and the legacy he has left through Oscars Kids, but we also talk about grief, about navigating this world after losing a child, how Yavanna and Lar found the motivation to turn this grief into support for others while also acknowledging the toll it takes as they heal their own hearts while witnessing so many other families go through the same. 

Grief is not linear. There is no formula.

And time, doesn’t necessarily heal.

But talking helps and that is what we did.

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Please text GOLD to 50300 and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Childhood Cancer Ireland is a charity founded by and led by parents of children with cancer who know that one of the greatest sources of strength for this fight, is conversation. As a non-government funded organisation, Childhood Cancer Ireland values every single donation. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m joined by Juliet D'Alton to talk about her son Jacob and his diagnosis of LCH - Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis at just 3 months old. 

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis is a rare myeloid neoplasm and is treated with chemotherapy by the team at St Johns Ward Crumlin. 

We talk about the long and anxious road to diagnosis for something so rare.

A parents instinct when turned away with another cream to try.

The impact on their mental health as parents.

And why it’s so important to accept help.

To help us to continue our services please text GOLD to FIVE ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I’m joined by Debbie Cullinane to discuss the power of your child's peer relationships.

Debbie is is a qualified child and adolescent psychotherapist and play therapist, mother of 2 and former primary school teacher.Together with Dr. Mairead Brennan  She facilitates our parent workshops.

No matter what age the child is, interacting with their peers can be tricky during/after treatment.

We talk about feeling disconnected, exclude or even  bullied and are there strategies to deal with it.

Debbie helps us understand  why peer relationships can be challenging and what makes them even more challenging during/after childhood cancer? 

And as parents how do we strike the balance between being supportive and too involved.

To help us to continue our services please text GOLD to FIVE ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trish Gleeson is the CNS for adolescent and young adult cancer in Galway University Hospital.

Nationally, AYA services are developing thanks to people like Trish who understand the needs and adaptions adolescents and young adults need while fighting cancer. 

This group of 16-24 year olds have unique needs, very different to paediatric but also different to adult.

We talk about teens and social inclusion, young adults and alcohol, fertility and education, 

We talk about the validity of needing to belong while also finding a language for what they are uniquely experiencing.  

And why things like chill out areas being funded by Childhood Cancer Ireland are so important to these AYA hospital centres.

To help us to continue our services please text GOLD to FIVE ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are proud to shine a light on the wonderful care given by LauraLynn Children's Hospice.

I’m joined by Liz O'Donoghue Assistant Director of Nursing at LauraLynn, Ireland's Children's Hospice.

Laura Lynn was founded by Jane and Brendan Mc Kenna in 2001 after their two daughters Laura (4) and Lynn (15) passed away from life limiting conditions, 20 months apart.

As Assistant director of Nursing, Liz joins us to talk about the hospice, the care and the respite it provides. We talk about palliative care and what that actually means for families. And above all - the value of hospice care - wrapping around the entire family.

To help us to continue our services please text GOLD to FIVE ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May is brain tumour awareness month.

Brain tumours are the second most common cause of cancer in children in Ireland.

Like a lot of childhood cancers, the symptoms can be varied and can be similar to other childhood illnesses.

Always speak to your GP about any unusual signs and symptoms your child is experiencing.  

In this episode I’m joined by 18 yr old Freya Fitzpatrick and her mum Emma. 

Freya was first diagnosed with medula-blastoma, a brain tumour in March 2018 when she was 12.

She has gone through surgery and numerous rounds of chemo and radiotherapy but her cancer returned in 2022.

We talk a lot about transitions.

The impact of a diagnosis at 12 and missing 1st year.

The impact of a second diagnosis at 16 when her independence should have been taking off. 

And the impact of transitioning out of crumlin and childrens care and being treated as an adult in the health system. 

With some honesty and words of wisdom for other teens going through this.

To help us to continue our services please text GOLD to FIVE ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I’m joined by financial advisor Eleanor Murnane.

Her son Theo was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was 14 months old.

He's now 6 and doing really well.

We talk about how challenging it is to figure out the financial hurdles of life while caring for a sick child and why she is now giving her time and financial advice for free to families fighting childhood cancer as part of a brand new initiative. 

Childhood Cancer Ireland has teamed up with the LIA (the centre of excellence for the education and development of financial professionals to provide information and advice to help families navigate their way through this difficult time. 

The financial support programme is free of charge, non judgemental and entirely confidential.

You’ll learn more in this episode - and by visiting childhoodcancer.ie

To help us to continue our services please text GOLD to FIVE ZERO THREE ZERO ZERO and donate €4 or visit childhoodcancer.ie for more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.