Jennifer McGrath’s Story

When my son was only seven months old, I began to have these incredibly vivid déjà vu experiences. At first, I believed it was a symptom of the postnatal period, so I went straight to my doctor, who recommended that I have an MRI scan. It was a shock to receive a call from him as we drove home, breaking the news that I had a brain tumour and revealing that the déjà vu sensations were actually absent seizures.

It began to affect many things, causing personality changes and even hallucinations. A few months later in July of 2019, I had surgery in Cork where they were able to ‘debulk’ and remove part of the tumour in the right temporal lobe of my brain. After surgery, I went home and things had improved for a short while and I was supposed to start chemotherapy in Galway later that September.

But then one day as I was feeding my newborn son Luke, I suddenly thought he was a doll. At that moment, I knew it wasn’t safe anymore for either of us. I brought myself into A&E of Galway University Hospital where they started chemotherapy early, which lasted three months. I was given the most radiotherapy that one can possibly have to the brain.

Fortunately, I could then be discharged to finish the chemotherapy at home where I could take it in tablet form. Shortly after in 2020, COVID-19 hit. Despite this, my health was relatively good, and I married my wonderful partner Darren of three years, who I met while living in Doolin. He gave up his job to care for me full-time when I was diagnosed, and has been my rock and my best friend throughout it all.

The passing of my mother combined with the pandemic, ongoing MRI scans and checkups made this an especially difficult period for me. I cherished spending the extra quality time at home with my family, and spent my time enjoying hobbies such as board games, foraging and floristry.

In 2023, I started to have absent seizures again and the hallucinations grew more frequent. Seeing things that weren’t actually there was quite scary to say the least. When I finally had the perfusion MRI, they discovered the cancer was back.

We were always waiting for it to come back. I have grade three anaplastic astrocytoma, which eventually returns. Because it wasn’t a surprise, we were better able to deal with the news. After six months of another difficult round of Chemotherapy with limited progress, I began attending Day Care at Galway Hospice. The first day before entering the Hospice I was terrified. It can be daunting as you don’t know what to expect. However, as soon as I walked through their doors, I was immediately put at ease.

The team is brilliant. They understand exactly what I’m going through and help in every kind of way. It’s been great to get the proper rest and care that I needed.

I enjoy a lot of the therapies there, such as aromatherapy, physiotherapy and art therapy. The acupuncture within the aromatherapy service is the only relief I ever got from the severe pain I was experiencing. I am full of energy after it. It is brilliant. Physiotherapy really helps me with my pain in the knees and the hips, and I love art therapy. It takes my mind off things and brings me into a more positive mindset. From day one, I really connected with the art therapist Kathy. She is such a kind soul and I love our little chats.

When the sun is out, you’ll find me outside in the courtyard of the Hospice appreciating all the lovely plants. I decided to make a fairy garden in the raised beds and paint a few stones to add some extra colour. The nurses loved it so much that they took a photo and laminated it for me to keep. It warms my heart to know that a piece of me will always be there.

My family and friends visit me when I stay in their Inpatient Unit, and they are reassured knowing that I am in good hands under their care. My son Luke, now five and a half (the half is important), loves coming to the Hospice and spending time in the children’s room. The nurses are so good to him. Since spending time there, he has a better understanding of what his mum is going through. I adore him and he’s been such an angel to me throughout my journey. My dear cousins Michelle and Claire also set up a GoFundMe to help cover costs that would allow me and my son to do activities that we have on our bucket list. I want to see him smile as much as possible and create fond memories for us that he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

As of writing this, little does he know that we have booked a helicopter ride for the weekend. Other things we hope to do together in future is going to Wildlands Activity Centre in Galway, and visiting the animals at Dublin Zoo. The funds raised will also help turn my ashes into rocks and gemstones, which I hope to leave on the graves of my mother, my father, my brother and then some for Luke to keep, so a part of me will always be with them.

I recently learned that the cancer has developed in another area, so I am seeking immunotherapy and further chemotherapy to help with symptom management. They originally expected I would have two years to live, but I have already surpassed that and I am now at the five year mark. Despite the unfortunate news, I am at peace with whatever my future holds and a big reason for that is thanks to the wonderful care of Galway Hospice. Their entire team has been a beacon of support throughout this challenging chapter of my life, and both I and my family are incredibly grateful for the unwavering care Galway Hospice has provided.