Molly Cuddihy realized how sick she was when the radiologist started crying during her exam.
Later that day, a consultant told the then 15-year-old that she had a rare form of bone cancer.
Time was critical and she had to start chemotherapy at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow the following week.
Molly, who was preparing for her National 5 exams, had her life mapped out and was considering studying medicine.
She said: “All of that was taken away from me in less than a minute. Everything is falling apart.
“There are so many aspects of your life that it touches and affects.
“It’s so much more than just a cancer diagnosis.”
The maths student, who now has no active cells, is one of eight women sharing their stories in a candid new podcast.
Radiotherapy is aimed at young people and addresses topics such as mental health, body image and mortality.
The six-part series, produced by Glasgow-based Go Radio, proved cathartic for contributors and enlightening for those close to them.
Molly, 21, told BBC Scotland News: “There were things I said on the podcast that they’ve never heard me say before and they’ve experienced it with me.
“It’s almost like telling people a secret.”
The student from Gourock, Inverclyde, felt something was wrong for around six months before she was finally diagnosed with metastatic Ewing’s sarcoma on January 16, 2018.
That day, the radiologist talked and got to know each other beforehand to try to calm his nerves.
But what happened next surprised them both.
Molly said: “The woman doing my scan started crying.
“If that wasn’t a telltale sign, then I don’t know what was.”
The teenager was transferred to the emergency room where she underwent another test and was then admitted to the hospital’s Schiehallion ward, which cares for children and young people with blood-borne diseases and cancers.
Molly said: “All my consultant told me was ‘we treat to cure’ and that’s all I needed to know.”
If you were affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC action line
Mental health is one of the main themes of the podcast and Molly speaks with remarkable honesty about her own experiences.
She said: “I went through this for two years and was fine, then I had a stem cell transplant in 2020 and completely collapsed.
“I really couldn’t take it anymore and I struggled for a long, long time.”
Molly said admitting she needed help was “the hardest part” and that she wished more support had been available six years ago.
She added: “The podcast allows people to hear that they are not alone, that this is how someone else experienced it, without having to leave the comfort of their bedroom.
“They can access all of this on their phone in the hospital.”
Molly compared the experience of many cancer survivors to that of soldiers returning from a war zone.
She added: “You don’t expect them to be okay when this is all over and they’re home.”
The student admitted that she still had trouble sleeping and often had flashbacks to times when she was not sedated.
Molly said: “There were a lot of things I was awake for and constantly reminded of. It’s hard to deal with.
“I think I accepted the fact that I had it and, to be completely blunt, I almost died from it.
“It’s more that I’m struggling with everything I have left.”
While undergoing chemotherapy, Molly also experienced “scary” chills linked to a hospital-acquired infection.
In 2021, she recalled her ordeal when she gave evidence to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.
Although she has completed cancer treatment, she suffers irreparable liver damage and needs a kidney transplant.
Julie Cain, the Teenage Cancer Trust’s national chief nurse for Scotland, came up with the idea for the podcast.
She said: “We forget how shocking it is to hear young people talking so openly about being diagnosed with cancer and having to wonder ‘am I going to die?’ »
“For me, what stands out is that it’s completely unscripted and completely authentic.
“It’s a group of young people talking and saying ‘me too’.”
Women reflect on living with a disability, the fear of never keeping a job and the “anxiety” linked to test exams.
Molly said: “Living and surviving are two different things. Many of us don’t really live. »
“Body neutrality changed my perspective”
Mairi MacLean, 24, also features on the new Radio Therapy podcast.
She was first diagnosed at the age of eight and is currently receiving her seventh treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
For years, Mairi struggled with the “tiring and defeated” body positivity that filled her social media feeds.
But the concept of “body neutrality” changed his perspective.
She explained: “Being at peace with your body, without consuming energy loving it or hating it.
“It’s a ship that strives to survive every day, whether you’re sick or not, and that’s truly remarkable.
“My body fluctuates and changes over and over, but I am at peace with that because I admire its strength and perseverance.”
The podcast also discusses the side effects of grueling treatment, including hair loss and dramatic weight changes.
It was funded by Every Thank You Counts, a charity set up by Molly and her friend Sara Millar in 2019.
Since then, more than £300,000 has been raised for a new pre-teen community room in the Schiehallion area and ongoing improvements, such as new deck chairs.
Each episode features three women speaking candidly about their experiences.
Dana Maitles reveals her father kept a detailed diary of all the positive things she said after she was diagnosed with blood cancer on her 18th birthday.
When Dana, now 20, was struggling, he reread his own words in an effort to cheer her up.
Molly said people often have trouble talking to cancer patients or say the wrong things.
She added: “A lot of people have asked me if I’m going to die? You don’t want to hear that. Or say ‘my grandmother died of cancer’.”
Another challenge is being asked incredibly personal questions, on topics such as fertility.
Molly said: “People forget you’re a person and you really become a disease, especially when you’re young.”
The podcast highlights the need for patients to be “selfish” when it comes to talking about their illness.
And Molly said a simple statement from well-wishers, like “I’m thinking of you” or “I’m here,” goes a long way.
She added: “Sometimes that’s all you want and it’s such a heartwarming and amazing message to read.”
Last month, the Princess of Wales announced in a video message that she was undergoing treatment for cancer.
Molly described the news as “sad and horrible” but believes her words will help others.
She said: “You can say to a little girl going through treatment ‘you can be like Princess Kate’.
“She’s doing something very powerful in telling her story.”
yahoo
