Katy Corrigan has finished her initial 12 treatments of chemotherapy
CHURCHILL teenager Katy Corrigan has a new appreciation for life after completing 12 gruelling chemotherapy treatments earlier this month and taking a further step on the road to recovery.
Katy was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin’s lymphoma back on June 20, 2014 but the former Enniskillen Collegiate student has remained positive and has taken it in her stride.
Speaking after the conclusion of the chemotherapy on December 5, the bubbly 19-year-old reflected on six months that have flown by.
“I think my treatment went really well and I was lucky. I had a lot of nausea and tiredness but I was only sick a couple of times. I expected it to be a lot worse. Also the nurses at the city hospital were amazing so that helped when getting my treatment.”
“The last six months has gone so fast. I thought it would drag but I kept myself busy doing small things like meeting my friends, going for coffee with mum and watching a lot of Netflix. I was also lucky enough to be apart of a three week digital photography course held in the Cancer Centre in Belfast. It was run by Friends of Cancer Centre and Clic Sergeant. I ended up having two pieces of digital art. That kept me busy on Tuesday evenings in between treatment and I got to meet and make friends with young people in my situation.”
Katy is also indebted to her friends and family for their support during treatment.
“My friends have been great at keeping me distracted and entertaining me during chemo. They probably hate the sight of the hospital just as much as me now,” she joked. “My friends at uni made sure to send me texts each week before chemo too. Mum brought me up to treatment nearly every Friday so she has been glad of her break from taxi duty.”
At the half way point in her treatment Katy underwent a CT scan and received the heartening news her tumours had shrunk by half and now finished chemotherapy is now waiting for a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan on January 16. From there it will determined whether she requires further treatment.
Since diagnosis Katy has been through a whirlwind six months, but the teen who hopes to study Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds in September, is now beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
“I think since being diagnosed I’ve realised that you can’t plan things or expect everything to happen the way you want it to. I appreciate all the kindness people have showed me throughout my treatment as that cheers you up when you aren’t feeling great!”
Katy was one of the rare cases of a cancer sufferer not losing her hair as a result of the harsh chemotherapy and while this was a welcome boost, the Churchill teenager realises there are more important things in life.
“I was lucky not to lose all of my hair. My doctor told before treatment that I would lose it completely but I obviously didn’t stick to the rules! I wouldn’t say it was a relief as I was prepared to lose it. I think being positive and having good friends and family around me was more important than if I had of lost my hair or not.”
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