Monksland woman in cancer treatment hosts big fundraiser

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Monksland's Hazel Brennan has raised over €5,000 for cancer research with her Big Pink Breakfast morning in aid of Breast Cancer Ireland.

The fundraiser, hosted in Monksland Community Centre on Sunday, October 12, was inspired by Hazel's own battle with breast cancer.

"The place was absolutely wedged," Hazel said, adding that she was overcome by the support of her friends, family, and wider community.

A handful of local businesses donated prizes on the day, which were raffled off to attendees.

"I set out with the aim of raising €500, so it's absolutely amazing to see how much was raised in the end," she said.

Breast Cancer Ireland is a registered charity established to raise significant funding to support pioneering research programmes nationally, as well as to promote education and awareness on the importance of good breast health amongst women of all ages.

It was September of 2024 when Hazel first noticed symptoms which led to her diagnosis with Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and lymphoma.

IDC starts in the milk ducts, while ILC originates in the milk-producing lobules. IDC is the most common type of breast cancer, making up about 75% to 90% of invasive cases, while ILC is less common, accounting for about 10% to 15%.

A busy mother-of-two to son Sean and daughter Sarah, Hazel first passed off her symptoms as tiredness.

"As a mammy, you always hear other women saying they're worn out," Hazel said. "I was feeling absolutely exhausted, but I thought it was just normal tiredness.

The 50-year-old said it was during a trip with her husband John that she became seriously concerned, after discovering an indentation under her left breast, which was roughly the size of the tip of her small finger.

On January 7, Hazel paid a visit to her doctor, who said she needed to go to University Hospital Galway (UHG) for further investigation.

"I went in to see [my doctor] and she examined me. She said, ‘Look, I think we'll send you off to get it checked because it's quite big and it's there.’"

On February 13, Hazel got a triple assessment in UHG, which involved a clinical examination, imaging (such as a mammogram or ultrasound), and a biopsy.

"The biopsy was horrific. I wouldn't like to go through it again but it had to be done," Hazel said.

She then waited a week for the results of her assessments. "That week is a blur, I can't remember anything. I could only think about the results."

A week later, Hazel returned to the clinic with her husband John, returned to Galway to receive the results, where it was confirmed that Hazel had Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).

Hazel said they were in total shock. “Even though I knew there was something wrong, I still wasn't expecting to be told I had cancer."

Next steps for the Monksland woman included a "non-negotiable" mastectomy, and an optional partial reconstruction.

“It's a hard surgery to get over, they're putting a foreign object into your body," Hazel said. "I had that surgery in March, and I am actually still recovering from it.

"I did get a few infections afterwards but they kind of cleared up fairly quick once I started antibiotics. Sometimes if I lift my arm, the skin can tear, so I have to be careful."

In recent weeks, Hazel received the news that she also had lymphoma, which is cancer of the lymph nodes.

"My treatment where it should have been two years is now going to be five years because they found it in my lymph nodes."

Speaking about the impact her diagnosis has had, Hazel noted that the hardest part was telling Sean and Sarah.

"They're old enough to understand, and I knew they would hear things," she said. "Everyone’s cancer journey is different. I wanted to be totally honest with them.

"At the moment, I'm trying to keep things as normal as possible. I still do the normal mammy things, I don't want them to worry."

Hazel was forced to shut her beauty business due to her diagnosis.

Hazel said it's important for women to put their health first, despite their busy lives.

"As mammies, we always tend to put everybody else first and we're so busy, we kind of forget about ourselves," Hazel said. "As a woman, I didn’t even know anything about breast cancer, so I’m learning now as I’m going now."

She added: “If talking about my own story helps anybody doubting themselves, then it has to be a good thing. And I'm hopeful."