Brave Galway mum grabs life with both hands

For most people hit by terminal cancer, battling to survive would be challenge enough – but Galway mum Olive Shaughnessy doesn’t do things by half.

The mother of four young children spent last Christmas in hospital trying to come to terms with her devastating diagnosis; this time she is celebrating the release of her incredibly moving autobiography.

Her book ‘My Olive Branch – My Second Chance’ is an account of her family’s journey with cancer. She describes the past year as “intense, painful, yet uplifting, insightful and thought-provoking.”

The 40 year old native of Portumna now lives in Killeenadeema, Loughrea, with her husband Tom and their four children – John (9), Kate (7), Luke (6), and Kevin (3).

But her life changed irrevocably on December 19 last, as the children broke up for Christmas holidays; Olive took them, as is their tradition, for a trip to the cinema – to see Paddington Bear.

After the screening, she dropped in to pick up some Christmas baubles. And as she puts it so succinctly:

“As I bent down to pick up an item I began to see double – and that was it. I don’t remember anything else”.

Olive suffered a burst blood vessel and a broken neck that day. Doctors identified holes in her bones and gave her the dreaded diagnosis – Stage 4, metastatic cancer.

To say Olive’s diagnosis came as a shock is an understatement; but cancer can afflict anyone at any time.

Olive hopes her story will resonate with others and encourage people to be get health checked. The earlier it is caught – the greater the chances of recovery and remission. Olive adds that she hopes people will get encouragement from it – whatever their challenges in life.

“I hold steadfast to the belief that where there is life there is always hope,” she says.

Her book is a compelling read and gives a candid account of her experience with a life altering illness.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.

■ ‘My Olive Branch – My Second Chance’ can be purchased from Olive’s blog www.mycoffaith.wordpress.com priced €10. It is also available from retail outlets in Loughrea and Portumna.