Dublin woman selflessly helping others in battle against cancer returns to college despite chemo
An inspirational student who is selflessly helping others in her battle against cancer has returned to college despite gruelling chemo.
[Sept. 22, 2020: Louise Walsh]
Geniele Squires shaved her hair off for charity before losing it because of exhaustive treatment and has raised over €5,000 for research into blood cancer.
The 29-year-old from Rush in Dublin was only diagnosed with stage four Hodgkins Lymphoma in June, after blood tests in six visits to her GP and three to hospital in the last year failed to pick up the disease.
It was an x-ray that detected a 10.2cm tumour between her heart and lung which has thankfully shrunk due to six chemotherapy sessions to date.
With another six to go as well as up to 20 radiotherapy sessions, Geniele is hopeful that she will be in remission before her 30th birthday in February.
“I was pretty much sick for a year with a cough and skin allergies that were so severe, my fitbit used to show 5000 steps during the night because I was itching so much in my sleep,” she said.
“There was nothing in my bloods to show this cancer and it was only spotted in the x-ray. I also had an enlarged lymph node removed from my shoulder.
“The chemotherapy leads to nausea and exhaustion and just to do a morning routine to shower and get dressed is beyond me some days.”
USING ILLNESS TO HELP OTHERS
However Geniele is determined not to let cancer beat her and instead is using her illness in order to help others.
She said: “When I was in a private ward in the Beaumont Hospital, a Dyson fan was a blessing to help my night sweats and then I found out that it wasn’t standard in the hospital but it was donated so I decided there and then, I was going to try and help to make others going through treatment more comfortable.
“I was going to lose my hair anyway but I shaved it off before it fell out to try and raise some money for the Haemotology Ward in the hospital to carry out clinical trials and buy equipment for those who need it.”
Geniele, who works in Human Resources with Ace Express Freight Logistics, even returned to college to start a degree course in Dublin on Monday night.
She continued: “I just decided to get a head start on it. It will be mostly online classes anyway and HR is just doing something that I love which will, I hope take my mind off my illness.
“Cancer is a scary word but people forget that many get through it to live a full life again. People ask me where I get the strength from but I believe that if you get a great day - go and live a great day!”
'I WOULD LIKE TO HELP THEM TOO'
Donations are still flooding in after the young woman shaved off her hair.
On her fundraising page, Geniele says: “My name is Geniele. I am 29. In June I was diagnosed Hodgkins Lymphoma.
"I’ve been fighting the hell out of it and I hope to be in remimision early next year.
"In total I will have 12 chemo sessions and 15 to 20 radiotherapy sessions.
"Losing my hair is part of my battle. I thought I had another month to go but unfortunately after this morning it’s time to shave it off.
"Please feel free to share this. I want to raise as much as I can.
“On average 1,500 people are diagnosed with blood cancer every year in Ireland.
"150 ish of those have what I have and are fighting a battle. The Haemotolgy ward in Beaumont do clinical trials and also I’m sure always need equipment to help those who need it.
This Brighter Side of News post courtesy of CT Post.
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