‘I not only wanted to showcase my voice but to show how far I’ve come’
A BRAVE singer from Trim who was diagnosed with a rare disease that left her unable to get out of bed says getting the chance to record a song for two charities close to heart “is a dream come true.”
After a tumour was found on her pituitary gland, intruding on her optic chasm during her second pregnancy Siobhan McAlesse (39) was diagnosed with Secondary Addison’s Disease, a rare disorder that affects the production of cortisol and aldosterone in the body.
After recovering from surgery to have the tumour removed, the mum of two realised how precious music was to her and gave her the courage to pursue her dreams again and led her to rediscover her passion for singing.
Earlier this year Siobhan released her debut studio single, ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’ composed by Giacomo Puccini having already received a phenomenal response to a video for the song that she uploaded on social media.
Now the talented singer is preparing for the release of her new single ‘Nella Fantasia’ written by the late maestro Ennio Morricone along with her first official music video that was shot outside Kells.
Proceeds from the single will go to Mental Health Ireland and The Pituitury Foundation Ireland both close to Siobhan’s heart. Explaining the inspiration behind the track she said: “I wanted to produce a music video with a message of hope. The idea came about in April during lockdown where I wanted to show others that there is always a way forward if life becomes more of a struggle than a place of enjoyment.
“It was the words of the song that hit me when I listened to it for the first time. It links back to my own experiences through my illness and through recovery and I was trying to relay that there is hope in the world that we live in, in some way in the video itself.
“I worked again with music producer David Arkins and Mark Cahill in Crookedwood Studios in Slane alongside the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and featuring Kenneth Rice violinist.
“For the video I worked with Director and editor Mark JD Smyth and cinematographer Jass Foley and together we came up with a concept of how this would work and shot it just outside Kells in two beautiful locations, Rockfield House and Drewstown Woods and Lake.
“It means the world to me to be able to help two charities that mean so much to me, it’s a dream come true.
Having undergone surgery in October last year to remove a benign tumor on my pituitary gland in Beaumont Hospital, I have felt what it is like to know how important it is to have supports around you when you need it most.
“I wanted to raise awareness of pituitary tumors, having experienced what it is like to have one.
“They are rare and their affect can be life changing. They can cause disruption in the body that can have a detrimental effect on day-to-day living, affecting mood, weight gain, weight loss, hormone imbalances, thyroid problems, can cause blindness and immense fatigue and that’s just one small element!
“I feel I am one of the lucky ones, thanks to all the medical professionals and supports that were made available to me.
“And it is so important to ‘Mind Your Mind’. Please reach out and talk to someone if you are struggling in anyway and know that there is always hope and that there are supports available.”
Siobhan underwent surgery to remove the tumour to protect her eyesight in October of last year which was successful. She says she now lives her life differently now understanding how “precious” life is. She added:
“The surgery went really well, they said they removed it all.
“I not only wanted to showcase my voice but to show how far I’ve come and give back to people by getting my song recorded.
“I am just so appreciative now of everything that is around me and everything I have it has given me a whole new perspective on life and not to take anything for granted and to be thankful for what I have.”
The official music video will be available to view from 4th December 2020 over on ‘Siobhán McAleese Music’ on YouTube and the single can be downloaded on iTunes.