Great Pink Run: 'There is hope out there, and I'm proof,' reassures Sabina O'Neill from Clare

Sabina O'Neill's journey began when she was 16, when she was diagnosed with a rare cancer called Soft Tissue Ewing's Sarcoma. After undergoing gruelling surgeries and treatment, Sabina was on the mend. But just a year later, her world came crashing down around her when she was diagnosed with a recurrence.

Sabina then remained in remission for over 20 years, until one day in 2016 after a shower, she noticed her left nipple was puckered. “I knew the minute I came out of the shower.”

After being told the cancer had spread throughout her breast, Sabina had to have a mastectomy. Two weeks later, she was told the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes and she would now have to have a full Lymph Node Clearance. A few weeks after that, she was officially diagnosed with Stage 2A Invasive Breast Cancer and a treatment plan was devised for her which consisted of chemo, radiation and hormone therapy.

She started Tamoxifen medication after all of this and in 2018 when Sabina's estrogen levels were still extremely high, it was decided that her ovaries should be removed too.

“I had had no more children after the birth of my son James in 2008, but there is something so final when you know your chances of having more children has been taken away.

“Your mind is definitely going to go to dark places, it's normal, but for me when I found myself starting to wander, I'd force myself to go upstairs, get comfy in my pjs and get a hot water bottle, watch a funny movie, nothing depressing! Switch the phones off, or read a book, anything that takes your mind off of it!

“There is nothing you can do at the end of the day, what will be will be!

“We all try to put on a brave face for our families, even though we might be crumbling on the inside, and I think cancer patients have a tendency to do that. You're telling people you're fine but at the end of the day, I actually wasn't fine.

“But you have to do everything to feel good about yourself. It's hard enough to look in the mirror and see no breast or no hair, and it's hard to get out of bed some days just to face the day because the thought of looking at yourself in the mirror is just horrendous."

Six years on, Sabina is once again in remission, planning to take part in the Great Pink Run in her own community in Shannon, Co Clare.

“Breast Cancer Ireland does so much for people that have been diagnosed and all the work that goes on in the background is amazing to raise awareness!

“Cancer will always be in the back of my mind, but knowing that the support is there from my brilliant family and from everyone at Breast Cancer Ireland, it helps me every day to just get up, put on my shoes and keep going forward. I have to live in the present.”

PHOTO: BCI Patient Supporter & GPR Ambassador (Athlone, Co Westmeath) Sabina O’Neill - BCI Patient Supporter & GPR Ambassador (Clare) & Lauren Magee - BCI Patient Supporter & GPR Ambassador (Newtownmountkennedy, Wicklow)

The Great Pink Run has seen participants from 36 countries take part to date.

It returns in a physical and a virtual sense this year – allowing people to take part either by participating in their own local communities by walking, running or jogging 10k or 5k any time between October 9 and 16, or alternatively for those who prefer the fun of a live group event, they can attend either of the large-scale physical Great Pink Run events taking place in Dublin on Sunday 9th October, or in Kilkenny on Sunday, October 16.

Participation in the Great Pink Run event is easy – simply register to take part at www.greatpinkrun.ie, gather your tribe by encouraging your friends and family to do the same, then attend either of the live events* in Dublin or Kilkenny or alternatively do your individual or group run, walk, scoot, wheel or cycle in your own community during the week of the national event (9th-16th October 2022) – and be sure to share and tag your photos, and videos across social media platforms using hashtags #greatpinkrun, #GPR2022 or #gatheryourtribe

Follow ongoing event updates on Instagram @Greatpinkrun and @BreastCancerIreland or on Twitter @BreastCancerIre

*10k event in Dublin starts at 1pm, 5k event starts at 2pm on October 9

*10k event in Kilkenny starts at 12 noon, 5k event starts at 12.45pm on October 16