Teen cancer survivor urges people to ‘smile’ at life

A Co Louth teenager who sat her Leaving Certificate exams while battling cancer has set up a Facebook page to urge people to “smile” at life.

Sarah O’Neill from Grange Rath, Drogheda, sat her exams only months after gruelling chemotherapy and an open chest operation to remove a tumour.

Now, facing into her last bout of radiation this Monday, the 18-year-old is positive about her future and wants everyone else to appreciate what they have in life.

Her Facebook page Smile for Sarah is also providing much-needed support to other young people who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Sarah’s ordeal began last year when a pain in her shoulder at the gym eventually led to a diagnosis of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

“I was told it was a pulled muscle but a few months later I ended up in hospital with problems catching my breath,” she said.

“An X-ray showed a shadow on my left lung.”

Further tests revealed the cancer and Sarah’s initial reaction was to shave her hair off herself.

“It was the only thing I knew I had control of. My mum shaved her head as well to give me support.”

Sarah’s mother Sharon, dad Darren, and brothers Sam and Luke all rallied around and decided to face the battle with optimism and, after chemotherapy ended, a scan gave Sarah the all-clear.

However, a month later, a follow-up biopsy proved devastating when it detected traces of lymphoma .

Just last April, Sarah underwent a huge operation to remove a tumour from her chest, followed by radiation treatment.

Although she missed most of the school term, she still decided to sit her exams and is hopeful that in a few weeks she will get the results she needs to study nursing.

As well as waiting for her results, she will have to wait up to eight weeks after her treatment finishes on Monday to see if she receives the all-clear from doctors.

Despite what she’s been through, Sarah is still smiling and et up the Smile for Sarah Facebook page for that very reason.

“I was sick of hearing people complaining and giving out about little things that shouldn’t even matter,” she said.

“For that reason, I decided to set up the Smile for Sarah page to urge people to look at all the good things in their lives and be thankful for them.

“I’m not looking for pity or money with the page. I just want to show people that I’m doing well and still smiling.

“It’s also a source of encouragement for others I’ve met on my journey who have been diagnosed with cancer. Just one smile can make things better,” she said.

The Facebook page can be accessed at: www.facebook.com/smile4sarah