A local woman has shared her story of dealing with serious illness and how it made her take stock of her life.
Pamela Tully (41), from Kilnamanagh was diagnosed in June 2020 with a meningioma brain tumour.
In the period leading up to her diagnosis, Pamela had been experiencing ongoing headaches:
“In early 2020 I was having some headaches,” Pamela tells Southside People.
“They weren’t too major or debilitating, and I just put them down to having a one-year-old at the time.
“I went to my GP who sent me for an MRI where the meningioma showed up.
“The tumour was monitored through scans initially. Unfortunately, by August there was a slight growth and, by November, it had doubled in size.
I had to have a craniotomy to remove the tumour, which was graded as a type 2 meningioma, so atypical, or non-cancerous.
However, there can be a recurrence which means I will need to be monitored.
“It was a traumatic time to say the least. I suffered seizures for approximately a month after the surgery which took a while for medication to get under control.
“This left me unable to drive for a year and I am now on anti-seizure meds for life.”
To coincide with Brain Tumour Awareness Week, Pamela has a single, Still Be There, which she will be launching on October 25
Pamela is sharing her personal story ahead of Brain Tumour Ireland’s National Brain Tumour Awareness Week which is coming up from October 21 to 27.
The week will see several awareness events taking place.
However, while her recovery did take time, Pamela hasn’t let it hold her back from achieving her dream of being a singer-songwriter:
“I did find recovery very tough. It probably took close to two years, and lots of counselling, before I actually felt back to normal again.
“It’s something that will be with me for life, whether I like it or not, but it has certainly made me take stock and really think about what I love about my life and how I want to spend my energy and time.
“My first passion is my family, the second is my music.
“Since the diagnosis, I’ve managed a job change, to finish my HR Masters and start my singer-songwriting journey.
“In fact, while music is now a massive part of my life, it wasn’t something that I was brave enough to pursue before this happened.
“My diagnosis has taught me that the only person stopping you is yourself. I’ve been working with my uncle on the cover band scene for years, but now I’m embracing and learning all about original music, as well as releasing my own songs.
“I released my fourth single Paranoid in late 2023 which received some great press and radio coverage, and I’ve since joined the Dublin Gospel Choir performing at various festivals.
“I was also invited by RTÉ’s Marty Morrissey to perform alongside a host of stars, including Tommy Fleming, Sharon Shannon, the Galway Tenors, George Murphy, and Mary Coughlan, at The Marty Party in Spain this October.
“To coincide with Brain Tumour Awareness Week, I have another single Still Be There which I will be launching on October 25 at a very special gig ‘Tunes for Tumours’ taking place in the Hendrick Hotel in Smithfield, with all proceeds going to Brain Tumour Ireland.
As for her future hopes and aspirations, Pamela says: “I hope to continue to live a happy, healthy life. I think that’s something we all strive for, but I know too well that when that hope is temporarily shaken, it affects you to your core and makes you change how you live your life.”
And when it comes to brain tumours, Pamela has the following advice:
“Be aware. If anything feels a bit weird or you have any niggle that something is up, go see your doctor and don’t put it off.
“Brain tumours are real, they do happen, they are scary and yet are some of the most under-funded areas of cancer research.
“You can have a good outcome like me, but we need to raise awareness, and strive for more research, so other patients can have better outcomes and longer life expectancies.”
Pamela is married to Michael Rudd and has one daughter Alix (age 5).
A webinar “Who cares for me? Challenging the carer to care for themselves too” will take place as part of National Brain Tumour Awareness Week, hosted by Brain Tumour Ireland, next Tuesday October 22 at 6pm.
For more information on this and other events taking place, or to register, visit www.braintumourireland.com