Blood test Tuesday - diagnosed on Wednesday
A brave Cork leukaemia survivor is calling on Leesiders to go all-in against cancer this Daffodil Day.
With the Irish Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Day falling tomorrow, Friday, Togher native Megan Dalton Rafferty is sharing her cancer survival story to help raise awareness in Cork and beyond.
In November 2021, aged just 27, Megan was diagnosed with leukaemia following a simple blood test, despite previously undergoing numerous extensive examinations. She later developed sepsis.
“They thought it was maybe a muscle thing in my shoulder, and then they thought maybe it was a trapped nerve,” she told the Cork Independent.
“I got the full body MRI and everything and it all came back clear, so my GP was like, 'we'll do a blood test', and boom – blood test Tuesday, diagnosed Wednesday, in isolation treatment Thursday,” she shared.
Demand for Irish Cancer Society services increased significantly last year. The charity said its free nationwide counselling service saw an increase of 8% to over 16,000 sessions in 2024. Its Freephone Support Line also saw an 8% increase in contacts to 10,700. Last year, the charity provided over 6,000 nights of palliative nursing care/end-of-life care to over 1,700 patients.
To help the charity’s work, Megan is calling on the people of Cork to give blood and bone marrow if they possibly can.
She said: “There might be one in a million people out there, but you're giving that person another lifeline.”
Regarding her own battle, Megan said she was never shy when it came to talking about it and found humour to be a helpful tool in her journey.
“I know some people get the all-clear and they never want to hear the word ever again, and 110% they are allowed to fade into the mist.
“I don't mind talking about it. My default is to make something funny and take the mick out of myself. If your reaction is to scream, if it's to be silent, if it's to laugh – mine was to crack a joke.
“You can react whatever way you want to getting news like this, and I think it kind of soothes the initial shock,” added Megan.
As part of her campaign to promote Daffodil day, Megan is urging people to get yearly blood checks and to learn the signs of sepsis, which she said was one of the worst parts of her ordeal.
“I did have low moments, like when I had the sepsis, you get this thing – It's not a shiver and it's not a seizure, it's some annoying little feeling in between where you're just rattling,” she said.
Now, almost five years later, Megan said she can never say she is cured but can happily say she is cancer-free following her latest checkup.
As part of Daffodil Day 2025, Irish Cancer Society CEO, Averil Power is urging the public to help in any way they can to raise vital funds tomorrow.
She said: “44,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Ireland, and the Irish Cancer Society aims to be there for every one of them. But the State provides just 5% of our funding so we need to raise €30 million to provide our key services. Daffodil Day is the biggest and most important fundraising event of the year. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference to cancer patients in every corner of Ireland.”
To get involved and to find out more about how to raise funds for cancer awareness, visit fundraise.cancer.ie.