‘Don’t just say, maybe it will pass, go and get it checked!’

A YOUNG Gibbstown couple whose lives have been devastated by a cancer diagnosis, want to highlight the issue of cancer in young people.

Stephen Gormley who is just 24-years-old was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma just over a month ago.

“He was been told it is aggressive, but very treatable, but it came as a terrible shock,” says his wife Mary.

“He wants to highlight what has happened to him to make other young people more aware of their health.

“If you feel anything different or are always tired, get it checked out. The earlier it is got the better.” Stephen and Mary, who have two children - Maeve (3), and Patrick (1), got married in June last year and were looking forward to a bright future ahead.

Stephen worked as an accounts administrator and Mary is a stay at home Mum and they had everything to look forward to.

“Stephen was fit and healthy, never had any health problems. He started to get a pain on the left side of his body and went to the doctor.

“He was sent for an ultrasound and they found a tumour on the right side of his body.

“He had a biopsy in Drogheda and when the results came back, they told us it was Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.

“It is stage two to three. The cancer is aggressive but equally treatable and curable. He is currently undergoing six months treatment of chemotherapy in Drogheda.

“Stephen wants to share his story to raise awareness, especially in young people, as this cancer is difficult to detect, usually, until more severe symptoms occur.

“When they found the tumour, he realised that he could have felt it himself if he had been checking.

“If you feel different or tired or feel something on your body, get it checked.

“A lot of people our age just think they'll be fine, if they start to feel unwell and will be starting treatment in a lot worse shape than Stephen.

“Don't just say, maybe it will pass, go and get it checked.

“Stephen has been lucky in that he is good and healthy as he starts chemotherapy. It could have spread a lot further and he could have been much sicker starting treatment.

“We are just looking forward to it all being over.”

Mary says Stephen's diagnosis was a massive shock.

“When he went about the pain in his side, we never dreamt of anything like this. Even when they said they found a tumour, we knew it was possibly cancer when it was being biopsied, but we still weren't ready for it.

“It was very frightening. The doctors have told us it is aggressive but treatable. No matter what stage it is at it is curable,” she says.

“It was terrible having to tell his family. We were able to tell his Mum and brother in person but his father is in Norway and we had to tell him over the phone.

“They were all terribly upset.”

Stephen started chemotherapy two weeks ago in Drogheda, shaving his head beforehand to stop it falling out in big clumps.

“He is having six months of treatment, every three weeks and after four months, they will know if he needs more chemotherapy or another form of treatment.

“He has just had the one session so far and was tired and nauseous but he had medication for the nausea, so it is under control.

“He has to go to Drogheda every week to have his hick-line changed and he has to go for regular blood tests.

“The chemotherapy destroys his immunity so for the first ten days after treatment he cannot do anything, but after that he can go out if he wears a mask and is careful.”

Mary says that their eldest child, Maeve (3), knows Daddy has to go to the doctor often but isn't really aware of what is happening while their one year old son, Patrick, is oblivious to it all.

As well as the obvious anxiety about the illness, Mary explains that the diagnosis causes a lot of stress from a financial point of view.

“Stephen has had to give up work for the moment and there is the added expense of travelling to Drogheda all the time and his diet has changed.

“We have less income and more expenses, but that is not something you think about when you hear somebody has had a cancer diagnosis.

“We are just grateful that Stephen's illness was caught early while he was still in good health and we are looking forward to putting it all behind us when the treatment is finished.

“We would just like other young people to be aware and to get themselves checked if they have any symptoms,” she says.