In Memoriam
Kerry O'Dwyer
I was a typical young lad in my 20s. Wide group of friends, happy-go-lucky, enjoying life and thought myself virtually indestructible. My career as a Primary School teacher was going from strength to strength - deputy headships and headships seemed set to follow.
I never sunbathed but I'll hold my hands up and admit I probably wasn't
as careful in the sun as I should have been. I spent 7 summers working at
Summer camps, which involved a lot of time spent outdoors. Could I have done
more? Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Cancer can't happen to me. I'm too young, too healthy, only happens to old people. I cringe now at my baseless, mindless assumptions. A nasty looking mole on my leg was viewed as an embarrassment, and it was only when a mole at the base of my neck began to change and friends would notice it, that I got myself checked out. That was the start of the rollercoaster, and my life has never been the same since.
I was diagnosed Stage 3 right away, and had to have a big operation removing
multiple primaries. Even then I don't think I appreciated just how serious
Melanoma is. That was in June 07, and in Sept. 07 I found it had spread to
the right lung. That sandwiched 2 smaller ops to deal with groin infections.
Melanoma is not considerate in any way - it is a beast, a ba$tard! I've lost
count of the number of scans I've had, PET, CT, MRI, they all seem much of a
muchness now, your body and mind becomes numb to a certain extent.
At 33, every day is now precious, I have no idea whether I'll see 34 (late
Nov) or another Christmas. I've battled on, and am still battling on
following 4 operations, chemo, a trial, the mental pressure that never
leaves you. What can be done? Do I try anything and everything? Do I accept
my fate and concentrate on enjoying what I can? I really don't know.
One thing I do know, Melanoma is a ba%tard that must be defeated. I am sure it will, somehow, somewhere. Until that day comes, we must all stand up and fight, make people realise just what a beast this is! It is not 'just' skin cancer as I have heard many times in my fight, you do not have to be a sun bathing fanatic to get it! It is on the rise, so please, everybody, do what you can to help knock this beast back down.
Kerry died on 10th July 2009. He didn't get to see 34 or another Christmas.
