A Dublin nurse fighting cancer for the fourth time has been discharged from a hospital in Florida where she was undergoing potentially life-saving treatment.
Ciara Barry's friends and family had organised a massive fundraiser to get the much-loved woman to the Moffitt Cancer Centre this summer. She has finished gruelling treatment and is now back in a home environment.
The 37-year-old is now awaiting the results of a bone marrow biopsy and is taking one day at a time. An update on her GoFundMe this week said: "After three tough, long weeks Ciara was discharged from Moffitt Cancer Centre last Thursday.
Read more: Dublin nurse diagnosed with cancer for fourth time channels 'inner Katie Taylor' in fight to survive
"Ciara is delighted to be back in a home environment but will be returning regularly to Moffitt Cancer Centre for check ups and ongoing care. Ciara will be getting a bone marrow biopsy and hopefully we will know the outcome in the next couple of weeks.
"Staying hopeful and taking one day at a time. Grateful as always for the fundraising, support and kind words from everyone."
Her friends and family organised a birthday fundraiser to give Ciara a much-needed boost. They celebrated her 37th birthday with a breakfast party in Florida.
Over €2500 was raised for her ongoing treatment. Ciara was first been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma as a teen. She now has a type of blood cancer that doctors believe was caused by all her treatments over the year.
In January of this year, Irish doctors advised Ciara to enjoy the time she had left as they were out of treatment options.
This sparked her friends and family to research clinical trials all over the world that might give the young woman a chance at life. Ciara told Dublin Live that she is determined to try everything to try live.
She said: "I was 13-years-old when I got a different form of cancer- Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Then I relapsed again when I was around 15. I got treated again and got a stem cell transplant.
""I was doing great then before it unfortunately returned ten years later for the third time. I was treated again, went off and had a great cancer- free time. Unfortunately, in 2021 I was diagnosed with treatment related Myelodysplastic Syndrome.
"This is more of a blood cancer. In my case, they feel it's from the toxicity of the chemo and treatments I've had. It's unavoidable. I needed to take all the chemos.
Read more: 'Buy a coffee' to help Dublin nurse starting cancer treatment in US
"In January, they told me that the few treatments here weren't going to work. I had to choose between if it was worth doing another load of chemo that just wasn't going to cure it or enjoy my time.
"They said I would end up so sick and just end up dying anyway.
"I've had lots of treatments and tough times but I have come out the other side. When you come out the other side, life is so good.
"There is a chance to get better. I've always been quite positive. I have so many friends that I met when I had cancer as a teenager and we all had really rough times.
"Some didn't make it but others have gone on to live really fulfilled lives, are working and have families.
"I know how good it can be. I just want more of it. I'm dying for a bit of life. "It's only a trial. It's a chance and it's better than 100% no chance."
You can donate to the fundraiser for Ciara's medical costs here.
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