Overcoming obstacles for Orla

I am dawning the bike again to complete the Donegal 222 and am really hoping for the support of family and friends to help me raise some money for a young mummy battling cancer who needs an alternative treatment option.

Orla is a young 39 year old wife to James and mother to four beautiful children, Erin 11, Aoibheann 9, Fionnbar 7 and Derbhla 4.

Like any mother Orla’s life revolves around her family.

Orla’s cancer journey began in November 2018 when diagnosed with breast cancer. At only 7wks pregnant with her youngest daughter Dearbhla, Orla underwent a mastectomy and was told at that time no further treatment was required.

Unfortunately for Orla this joy was short lived as the cancer returned in December 2021 requiring a full mastectomy and lymph node clearance followed by several lines of Chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.

Despite all the treatment Orla endured after a scan in December 2022 Orla was given the very difficult news that she had stage 4 liver cancer.

I think we can only comprehend the sheer turmoil this must have created for Orla and her family.

Orla was told her tumour was inoperable and incurable but in true Orla style she fought hard and questioned everything.

Orla’s consultant started her on chemotherapy with a view to shrinking the tumour and then using ablation to burn the tumour. Unfortunately the tumour became immune to this line of chemotherapy and started to grow, it became too big for ablation therapy.

Orla’s chemo was then changed to Enhertu, this was extremely hard to tolerate but Orla persevered and the surgeon agreed to a liver resection.

Orla was advised even the liver resection surgery was a success she would still need to continue with chemotherapy to delay any regrowth.

Orla had her successful liver resection in October 2023 and restarted her chemotherapy journey five weeks later.

This has been particularly difficult and the side effects of the chemotherapy have been gruelling. This alone is so challenging for a mummy just wanting to carry out her normal daily tasks with her family.

Orla had to endure the recent turmoil of being told a growth on her liver was most likely the return of her cancer.

Orla was therefore red flagged for an MRI at the start of July 2024.

Her family paid privately for this scan as she was told it would be a four month wait via the NHS.

She had the MRI scan on the 1st August and thankfully the results indicate it is a cyst.

Orla can breathe a sigh of relief at the minute but she knows this is short lived as she has been told the cancer will return.

I think you will agree Orla has had an extremely challenging time and despite the most recent positive results Orla is aware this could change at any time. The current treatment Orla is receiving to stem the cancer regrowth is extremely sore on her body, she has multiple side effects including a severe decrease in her cardiac function.

As you can imagine this makes life as a mum to four small children very difficult and emotionally challenging when Orla is unable to carry out the normal mummy duties she longs to do.

Orla and her family have been researching alternative treatment options in Germany and Mexico but these come at a considerable cost so we would love if you could support this fundraiser to give Orla the ability to pursue these options and improve her quality of life and time with her precious family.

Whatever you can give will be so greatly appreciated.