When Eoin OBrien found out he had a rare form of cancer, he was told he would have died within a week had he not gone to hospital.

Now, five years on, the dad of four is remarkably free of the disease.

Eoins life changed in May 2015 when he went to A&E with chest pains.

He was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, which causes abnormal growth of cells in the lymphatic system.

Due to fluid build-up, Eoins heart would have suffocated within days had he not been treated.

And after half a decade of pain and suffering, he is finally in remission.

The news came on his wife Karens birthday, making it all the more special for the pair and their daughters Sophie, 13, Abbie, 11, Maddie, eight, and three-year-old Emelie.

Karen said: To say that that was the best news ever would be an understatement, I would rather be told that 10 times over than even win the lotto.

Eoin was only 31 when he was diagnosed following a hospital visit after he started getting pains in his chest.

Doctors drained three-and-a-half litres of fluid from his chest and found a tumour between his lungs and heart.

After his first round of chemo didnt work, Eoin found a lump on his neck.

He was started on a higher dose of chemo which was, in his wife Karens opinion, the hardest one on him.

She explained: Eoin got the moon-face, he got the cancer look. Darkness under the skin of his eyes and that.

The pair hoped this treatment was working but were disappointed again when doctors told them it hadnt.

Two years later in 2017, when Karen was pregnant with Emelie, Eoin still wasnt responding to treatments.

He was due to go into hospital after his daughter was born for a planned stem cell transplant which was later cancelled.

The pair fought to get Eoin immunotherapy, which slowed down but didnt cure his cancer.

In 2019, he was told he could get an allogeneic stem cell transplant from a donor. Karen explained: So on the 6th of November, which we now class as Eoins re-birthday, he was given the transplant and he became so, so bad.

Eoin was at the stage where he wanted to give up. He didnt want to live anymore, he didnt want to go through it anymore.

Results of a scan in February had alarming results which left the two terrified the cancer had spread.

Thankfully, it was only an infection.

Eoin was hospitalised for six weeks and due to the coronavirus, wasnt allowed outside or to have visitors.

In May, the pair were given the news his transplant worked.

Karen said: Theres been a lot of ups and a lot of downs but were finally out the other side, so hopefully we can look forward to many, many years cancer-free.

Originally posted here:
Irish dad with rare form of cancer would have died within a week if he didn't go to hospital - Irish Mirror

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