Grateful Katriona thanks her Beaumont oncologist

KATRIONA Morley Smith, from Swords, took part in the Beaumont Hospital Foundation’s recent ‘Honour Your Heroes’ reception. 

The event, held annually, gives former patients the opportunity to thank the staff they believe have gone the area mile in helping with their recovery.

Katriona, who was thanking consultant medical oncologist, Prof Liam Grogan, has been receiving treatment in Beaumont Hospital for the past two years for malignant melanoma.

Her cancer journey began when she initially noticed a freckle on her foot had changed shape and colour over a six week period. 

It never dawned on her that it could be something worth getting checked out and it was only when she hit her foot and the freckle bled continuously for 15 minutes that she thought she should see a doctor.

Her local GP referred her to Beaumont Hospital to have a biopsy and two weeks later she received a call inviting her to attend the hospital for a full body scan. She knew this could only mean bad news and following the scan was told that she had stage four, malignant melanoma.

Katriona, originally from Ballyhaunis in County Mayo said: “I was never a sun worshipper and remember always covering my feet in the sun so I was amazed that this had happened to me. But being a very positive person my first reaction was that I was going to get rid of this.”

In a series of four surgeries, the cancer in her foot was removed, two skin grafts were taken from her thigh and 12 lymph nodes were removed from her groin area, ten of which also proved to be cancerous.  

She was then put on a course of the drug, Interferon. She described this as being a “tough drug to be on” and relied on her 17-year-old son, Josh, to inject her three times a week at home. 

By January 2016, Katriona was feeling great. She had her energy back and felt things were going so well that she and her partner went on an early honeymoon, spending a month in Thailand.

However, in April 2016 she noticed what looked like skin tags growing on her legs. She showed them to her doctor and biopsies were taken. Devastatingly for Katriona, they came back confirming cancer again. Despite her enduring positivity throughout her treatment, she admits that this set her “way back” and she did something she hadn’t done up to this point – she cried.

Katriona was referred to Prof Liam Grogan, consultant medical oncologist in Beaumont Hospital. She was placed on a new drug and was scheduled to receive four infusions. 

On the day she was to receive the fourth infusion, she felt desperately unwell and was admitted to Beaumont again. She had developed colitis which is a known side effect of the new drug she was taking. 

Since then she has been recovering and on August 20 married her partner David.

At the ‘Honour Your Heroes’ event, Katriona thanked Prof Liam Grogan for the incredible care and good humour he has shown throughout her treatment. 

“I know that I am a lucky lady to be under the care of Prof Grogan and I know that if anyone can fix me, he can,” added Katriona.