Liz Ferris
This is the third and final piece for this series of articles on cancer and I can honestly say they are the hardest lines I’ve ever written.
Each sentence brings me back to certain times where I struggled but I am glad it is a journey I have shared with the readers over the past month or so.
I was genuinely surprised by the depth of feelings I still have about the disease and I believe that just by writing about it has helped me enormously.
Because when I was told that I had this life threatening illness, I made myself so busy fighting for my life that I didn’t really allow some of what I was enduring to properly sink in. Looking back now, I think I was just going through the motions.
When I heard the terrible news that I had breast cancer, the one thing I decided to do was fight it every inch of the way. Afterall, I had lost my sister and never once did I hear her complain.
I decided I would meet it head on and made my mind up it wouldn’t take me. For having the strength to do that, I am aware that the support of my husband Jim was vital.
He had fought his own battle with cancer and between him and my children, who were always there for me, not to mention friends and wider family, they gave me sufficient strength every day not just to fight the battle but to live my life as well.
Ultimately of course, you depend on the quality of the medical people who are the experts in the journey you undertake.
From my operation to my radiation visits – all 38 of them – my doctor, my oncologist all their staff gave me amazing support and encouragement through the treatment.
Fortunately, I did not need chemotherapy so that in itself made my journey easier. After the operation I got support from the Marie Keating Foundation in terms of the things you might not think about for example the type of bra to wear. I was not afraid to reach out and every time I did, there was someone there to help me.
That is my message to anyone who finds themselves in a similar position to me – don’t be afraid ask for help because these people are trained to help you at every turn.
I would like to pay special tribute to my oncologist Janice Walsh who was there for me through it all. She is a really understanding person who I was lucky to be referred to at the start of this journey.
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