A Greencastle man, who recently marked five years of being cancer free, is to give thanks to those who cared for him with an epic charity cycle. Seamus Carey was diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2020, at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. He underwent a seven-hour operation in St James’s Hospital in Dublin, followed by chemotherapy and 38 sessions of radiotherapy in St Luke’s Hospital in Dublin. Seamus, a mechanic, spent three months in hospital, during which he also suffered a serious heart
complication. He was unable to receive visitors due to pandemic restrictions. Recovery was extremely tough and Seamus could not swallow, eat or talk. Seamus’ strength of character, his loved ones and his faith in the late Father James O’Gara and Sister Clare Crockett greatly helped him in his recovery. He was also filled with gratitude for the staff of both hospitals, who cared for him with such compassion and expertise. Earlier this year, five years after his diagnosis, Seamus returned to the hospitals with a
gift for the staff to express his thanks. In the years since his diagnosis and treatment, Seamus has connected with the Cancer Care West Support Group in Letterkenny, which he credits with supporting his ongoing recovery and mental wellbeing. As part of his recovery, Seamus bought a bike – despite the fact he hadn’t cycled since the age of 17 – and worked his way back to fitness. He also returned to his lifelong passion for scuba diving and delights in attending car rallies and
spending time with his children and grandchildren. A now avid cyclist, Seamus has decided to raise funds for St Luke’s Hospital and Cancer Care West with not just one, but two charity cycles. On August 1, he and his friends will cycle the Inishowen 100 in aid of Cancer Care West Support Centre Donegal. The following week, on August 7, they will cycle the Grand Canal Greenway from Shannon Harbour to St Luke’s Hospital, in aid of The Friends of St Luke’s Dublin. While Seamus
hopes to raise as much money as he can for both causes, he also wants to highlight how cancer doesn’t have to define a person. He wants people to know that they can go through cancer treatment and go on to do many amazing things. If you’d like to sponsor Seamus’s cycles, you can donate at https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/seamuscarey1
Seamus Carey, Greencastle, tongue cancer, St James's Hospital, St Luke's Hospital, Cancer Care West, Cancer Care West Support Centre Donegal, The Friends of St Luke's Dublin, Inishowen 100, Grand Canal Greenway, Shannon Harbour, charity cycle, iDonate