Life after cancer for single mum

Being diagnosed with breast cancer and the ensuing treatment is an extremely difficult period in anyone's life - but even more so when you have just adopted a baby and are in the process of buying a new house. But that is exactly how it happened for Colette Magnone who lives at Kilbrook, between Enfield and Kilcock. Ms Magnone adopted-four-month old Minh Hoa from Vietnam in January 2008 as a single adoptee. Soon afterwards, she had lost weight but put it down to having a new baby to care for and being back to work. But, in August that year, she was getting dressed and felt a lump in her breast. "I'm a nurse and I knew straight away it was cancerous by the feel of it. I went to my GP and got referred to the clinic in Beaumont Hospital. When I phoned for the appointment, it was several weeks away and they told me not to worry as it would probably be benign. I explained that I thought it was cancerous and could they possibly give me an earlier appointment and I was seen within two weeks," she recalls. After her suspicions that the lump was malignant were confirmed, Ms Magnone underwent surgery on three occasions before beginning chemotherapy in November 2008. She also had a course of radiotherapy. "My biggest concern when I found the lump was had it spread and was it found too late. Because I am a single mum, I was worried I was not going to see Minh Hoa grow up. It was such a relief when I got the results of the bone scan that it was clear. I could face anything after that," she said. Ms Magnone was living in Swords at the time and her sister in Celbridge looked after Minh Hoa while she was having her treatment, which meant a lot of travelling back and forth. She was also in the process of buying her new house. As a single parent with a year-old child, it was difficult to juggle everything but Ms Magnone even managed to continue working throughout her treatment, and felt it brought some normality to her life. Now finished her treatment, Ms Magnone said she is doing "brilliant" and will continue to have a yearly mammogram and take medication for three more years. "I'm doing great, though you would be tired for at least a year as the treatment does wipe you." Minh Hoa is now three years-old and, even though she was only a year old when her mum was going through treatment, Ms Magnone said she still knew that something was up. "Even though she was just gone a year, she knew something was wrong. I would never leave her for a night and I was away for the night for the first time when I had the bone scan done and my sister would take her each night after I had the chemotherapy. She was always clingy but became more clingy," she added. Ms Magnone has paid tribute to the Irish Cancer Society and said it was "fabulous for advice" and the helpline was great. "Having them as a resource was brilliant, I also use them through work and tap into them. Even before I had cancer, I would have used them," she said. * The Kells Pink Ribbon Walk, which raises funds for Action Breast Cancer, takes place around Drewstown House and Girley Eco Bog on 11th September.