‘I didn’t think I’d be coming back’

After a routine blood test in 2014, Lavey man Phil Smith was referred to the Mater Hospital for further tests when doctors weren’t happy with his results. After several years of monitoring, Phil’s white blood cells began to rise and lumps appeared in his neck and jaw.

“I was given medication to treat the lumps and they largely worked, but swelling persisted in my jaw and after further tests, confirmed it was cancerous and I needed surgery.”

Phil says the diagnosis came as a shock.

“I was stunned by the diagnosis of cancer, I nearly fell off the chair.”

In the lead-up to the surgery, Phil says the lump caused him serious discomfort.

“The lump in my jaw was the sorest thing I ever experienced. I never felt pain like it. I couldn’t sleep or eat. It completely took my appetite away.”

The surgery that followed to remove the cancerous lump was an extremely long and complex procedure and Phil said he feared the worst .

“I had the procedure at the end of January 2022. When my son was dropping me up to the Mater for it, I didn’t think I’d be coming back. It involved the reconstruction of my jaw, with bone and flesh taken from my leg. It was meant to last for around eleven hours but ended up going on for 12 hours.”

Despite his initial concerns, the operation was a huge success. “After the operation, the surgeon came into me when he saw me he started laughing and said it was a perfect surgery and I would be fine. I was in intensive care for three days, was tube fed for four days and eventually made it home on February 17, I could have been out sooner but I had difficulty with the crutches that I needed to use,” recalls Phil.

After a six-week stint of radiotherapy in St Luke’s Hospital in April and May of 2022, doctors were happy Phil had made a full recovery. He says regular health checks and a healthy lifestyle prior to the diagnosis played a major part in his recovery.

“I was glad to that I got my bloods checked regularly. This enabled me to spot something wasn’t right early. I also don’t smoke and drink very little, which is important.

“In July I was doing so well that I was able to climb Croagh Patrick with my daughter, my leg was well bandaged, but I was able to manage, although it was tougher going down than up.”

Despite there being a few small side effects from the operation, Phil says all subsequent checks have been clear.

“There’s a big mark on the left-hand side of my face, but it doesn’t bother me. Also from halfway across my chin to my ear on my left side there’s no feeling. After the surgery it was a bit awkward because I had lots of stitches in my face and there was hair growing but I couldn’t shave. I’m also missing six teeth, but I’m hoping to get new ones soon. It can cause a few difficulties when I’m eating, but I can manage. My MRIs and blood tests have all been clear and that’s the main thing.”

Phil is also very thankful for the support he received from his family, friends, and the wider community of Lavey for the help and support he got during his treatment.

“My wife Bríd as well as my children Kieran, Sylvia Ronan and their partners were fantastic. They gave me a lot of help. I also got 52 mass cards from neighbours and there were three or four masses for me.”

Phil decided to harness the support of the community to raise money for cancer victims.

“I wanted to give something back. There’s a walking track around Lavey GAA pitch so I organised a sponsored walk around that. I got great support from Joe Finnegan and Seamus Farrelly from the Lavey Inn. I raised €7,822, which I gave to cancer care in the Mater Hospital.”