THE Northside woman fighting an aggressive form of cancer has vowed to donate money that was raised for her treatment to charity.
Cathy Durkin (41), from Clare Hall, needed
?¬85,000 to pay for a
‘miracle drug’ called Ipilimumab, which she was told could not be covered by the HSE or private health insurers.
However, last Thursday evening the HSE announced that the drug will now be made available to patients in Ireland.
A major fundraising campaign spearheaded by Cathy’s family and friends had collected a staggering
?¬72,000 up until last Friday (May 4).
Speaking to Northside People, the mother-of-three said she was
“absolutely elated
? after hearing the news.
“I am overjoyed,
? she stated.
“We didn’t think we would get this far with the campaign. We thought that after it got out into the public domain it would just fizzle out. It goes to show what people power can do.
“We haven’t decided yet what charity the money will go to. It will have to be discussed with the fundraising committee.
?
Cathy said she was
“amazingly proud
? of everyone who had helped with the campaign. She also paid tribute to one of her oncologists, Professor John Crown, who has been fighting to get this drug available to approximately 200 cancer patients in Ireland who need it.
“Professor Crown has worked so hard for a long time in order for me and other patients to be able to access Ipilimumab,
? stated Cathy.
“This is thanks to him. It wasn’t me who decided to fundraise; it was the mums at school, my sister Celine, my friend Karen Meehan, all my friends and family and so many people I don’t know.
“I am incredibly proud of them and of everyone who has contributed their time and effort.
?
The campaign was kick-started when broadcaster Joe Duffy donated e1,000 in a spontaneous gesture following a moving interview with Cathy on
‘Liveline’.
There followed private donations of
?¬10,000,
?¬20,000 and thousands of other contributions large and small.
“I’m just in awe of everyone who has taken the trouble to write or donate,
? stated Cathy.
“I have had mass cards from Knock, novenas and dozens of letters sent to the bank. I will write back personally to every one who has left an address.
?
Cathy is now focused on getting through her current course of immuno-therapy before she can start on a programme of Ipilumab during the summer.
Although the drug only has a 10 per cent success rate, Cathy was heartened to hear of two women in remission from cancer after they had been successfully treated with the drug.
“The two ladies came onto
‘Liveline’ after me, and to hear their personal stories was fantastic and gave me so much hope,
? she said.
Cathy’s cancer was diagnosed on June 21, 2011 after a local optician spotted a slight tear in her retina.
“I had been seeing flashing lights for a few weeks, but we thought it was just some mild head trauma,
? she explained.
“I put it down to my three-year-old son whacking me a few times accidentally and thought nothing of it.
?
When she was referred to the Mater Hospital, the surgeon announced that Cathy had a large tumour behind her eye.
“My world fell apart,
? she said.
“The surgeon advised me to go home and look it up and I realised I was in big trouble. I’ve never cried so hard in my life.
?
The tumour was too large for radiation treatment, so Cathy had her right eye removed a few weeks later and was fitted with a prosthetic eye.
Life began slowly to return to normal, but disaster struck again when Cathy started having problems with her hip joint in October.
Unfortunately, a CT scan and a bone biopsy revealed that the cancer was back, in her hip and also in three liver tumours.
“Professor Crown let us have Christmas before he broke the news,
? she said.
“I was really glad he did that.
?
After two sessions of chemo in January, doctors told Cathy that the treatment hadn’t worked and in fact the tumours had increased slightly. At Easter, Cathy was given a year to live, but she’s determined to confound the prognosis.
“Sometimes I just break down and become gripped with panic, but we have to stay positive for the kids,
? she said.
“I’m trying not to think about it because my son Alex (11) is having his Confirmation next year and my daughter Alyssa (8) is having her First Communion.
?
Cathy’s three children and her husband Michael are a wonderful source of support.
“Conor (3) went to a party last weekend and came back with a special piece of cake that fixes mammies with sore eyes,
? she added.
“Alyssa comes home from school every day with little love notes and poems and drawings that go on the fridge. The kids are fantastic.
?
Donaghmede ward councillor Tom Brabazon (FF) has welcomed the HSE’s decision to pay for the drug.
“I am delighted for Cathy and others affected by this melanoma type cancer that they will no longer have to battle the system by using local and national media and local politicians to vindicate their rights as citizens to a good health care system,
? he said.