After completing her final year at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Dervla and friends travelled across Asia for two months. However, when back home, Dervla noticed a drastic change to her personality and began feeling unwell. 

She said, “My personality completely changed, I felt very isolated and completely on my own. I was forgetting parts of the person I was, walking at an angle and sleeping sitting up or not sleeping at all because the pressure in my head was so overwhelming.”

Shortly after the 23-year-old received devastating news that a tumour had been found on her brain, which led to a long and gruelling process of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. 

“It was a rare type of brain tumour called Choroid Plexus Carcinoma, when I found out that I had the tumour it was the best news I’d ever heard. It was like I’m not crazy, this is actually a real thing, this is actually happening and what a relief it felt knowing that I was going to get help,” said the designer. 

After the Diagnosis Dervla underwent surgery and chemotherapy and is now looking forward to a bright future.

Dervla showed true determination to get back on her feet – fast forward to June 2019, she packed her suitcase and jetted off for a sailing trip on the west coast of Scotland as part of the MacArthur Cancer Trust. 

“It is difficult to convey in words what the Ellen MacArthur trust has done for me. It was like a light bulb moment, realising I am confident to do things away from home and still survive and be happy, because there were good people with me ready and waiting to help me. 

“Now I’ve done this, I can do everything again. It’s reassured me that I can definitely achieve. After doing this, I can do all the things I used to do.

“Cancer is just a word. It doesn’t describe the person I am, it was just a kink in the road or should I say but a drop in the ocean. My brain had time to consolidate what I had experienced and gave me warm and happy feelings about my future.”