‘A higher power’ gave me cancer to help others, says Majella O'Donnell

Majella O’Donnell has said that she has never accepted she had cancer.

Instead, the 55-year-old said she believes a “higher power” may have given her the condition so she could help others.

The wife of singer Daniel O’Donnell raised more than é600,000 for the Irish Cancer Society after having her hair shaved live on The Late Late Show.

However, Majella said she has refused to accept she ever had the disease.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I never really believed it. I never really took it on board the whole time. I just thought: ‘They have told me this but I don’t feel sick or I don’t feel whatever. But they have told me I’m sick and I have to do this, this and this so I’ll do it anyway.’

“But I never took on board ‘Oh my God, I have cancer and it’s a life-threatening illness’, because it never really dawned on me and I was lucky in that respect.

“I believe in higher powers and I believe that I was destined to do it and I believe that’s why I got cancer, who knows? I believed it was something I should do even though I felt some people may find it distasteful or it was a risky thing to do.

“Most people that get cancer will go through a lot of crying and it’s very frightening but I just don’t think I took it on board. I never got to that stage because I just didn’t believe it.”

Majella was the guest of honour at the North West Cancer Ball in Co Donegal at the weekend.

Speaking before the event to Donegal TV, Majella revealed how she feels that her battle with breast cancer has not changed her life because she refused to let it.

“So has it changed my life? No, not really. Obviously, I value my life. I want to do as much now rather than waiting. For example, myself and Daniel are going off on a four-month cruise now in January and that was something we decided to do after I got cancer.

“It could come back any time and you never know when your number is up so I do now believe in if you’re going to do something then do it now. Live in the moment.”

The mother of two said she has really enjoyed filming her tour of Ireland’s B&Bs for the hit TV series Daniel and Majella’s Bed and Breakfast Roadtrip and hopes there will be another series.