Support and superheroes help Dave feel
normal again
Dave O’Shea is the face of our Christmas Raffle
campaign. He has agreed to share his story to
encourage people to play the Christmas Raffle as an
easy way to support St Giles.
Life for Dave was normal until he began to get blurred vision in
his left eye eight years ago. Tests showed he had very high blood
pressure. After extensive investigations, Dave, then 28, was given
the news that he had adrenal cancer. His doctor told him that
without treatment, he would be dead by 30.
Surgery to remove the tumour was successful and Dave, who
lives in Sutton Coldfield with his wife Pam and three daughters,
Jessica, Chloe and Abigail, was given the all clear. But in 2015,
Dave was told the cancer had returned. Since then tumours have
developed in Dave’s pelvis and most recently in his spine, which
forced Dave to stop working earlier this year.
“I’d been limping and ignoring it,
refusing to admit that it was getting
worse, but it was obvious to Pam
how bad it was.”
“That’s when I went to the hospital for pain management and
was told the cancer had spread to my spine. The cancer is
inoperable but with treatment hopefully it can be controlled.”
Dave was referred to St Giles through his GP and continues to
receive support from a specialist community nurse who provides
Dave and his family with help, advice and information within
the comfort of their own home – something that the family
particularly appreciates. Dave also visits the St Giles Day Hospice
at Whittington and the Supportive Care Centre near his home in
Sutton Coldfield.
“Coming to St Giles is brilliant and it
feels like a sanctuary for me. I feel
relaxed and normal here. Sometimes
I feel different to everyone else
because I feel like the ‘patient’ but
that doesn’t happen at St Giles.”
Dave has also been supported throughout by his wife Pam, who
he calls his superhero. “She holds everything together and always
looks for the positive, always knowing what to do or say”, he said.
“It’s been really tough for all of us and it’s been a really difficult
journey but these are the cards I’ve been dealt. Pam and the girls
are so strong and brave, they look after me and the kids are such
loving, caring children, always there for a cuddle on the sofa.”
“I’m a lot calmer, particularly with the support of the St Giles
team. It helps me feel more independent, because I am doing
something on my own. It’s good to know that the support is here
both now and in the future for me and my family. It’s vital that
the community continues to help St Giles by doing things like
playing the raffle, as the support they provide is really important
to people just like me who are living with an incurable illness.”
If you have not yet bought tickets for our Christmas
Raffle and you received your copy of News and Review
in the post, there is a book of tickets enclosed along
with a return envelope. Alternatively, tickets are available
to buy online at www.stgileshospice.com/raffle or by
calling 01543 434020. Your support matters. Thank you.
Dave died just a few days before News and Review was
printed. We’d like to thank his family for giving permission to
publish his story in his words and for their continued support
of St Giles. Our thoughts are with them.
01543 432031 I www.stgileshospice.com I [email protected]
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