A man living with an incurable form of cancer has said there is “life after diagnosis” after picking up two bronze medals in the World Transplant Games in Australia.
Richie Sheerin was in his mid 30s when he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of bone cancer that means doctors will monitor his condition for the rest of his life.
Now in remission, the Derry man is seeking to raise awareness of the Transplant Games – a sporting event for organ and bone marrow transplant recipients, donors and families – and to inspire hope for those facing up to a difficult diagnosis.
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The 40-year-old was given his shock diagnosis while in work in 2017 after seeking treatment about pain in his hip.
Speaking to Belfast Live, the father-of-one said he had rejoined his local GAA club Sean Dolans and was in the process of rebuilding his fitness when he picked up what he assumed was a minor hip injury.
“A couple of weeks and months went by, and it wasn’t getting any better, so I started going to physiotherapy and the physio said ‘look, I can’t see anything wrong with you’, “ he explained.
“My hip started getting sore and it was really debilitating, it was wiping me out. So I went to the doctors about a hernia and they couldn’t find anything. I was asked to come back to get a blood test to check for autoimmune or arthritis kind of things, so I went back and got the bloods done and went home.”
While in work, he noticed a message from his wife telling him to answer his phone. At first, Mr Sheerin believed it was about his son who was unwell.
“A private number came up and it was a doctor who said, ‘Look, we need you over in the North West Cancer Centre tomorrow because we’re highly suspicious of multiple myeloma'," Richie said.
“I was in work, and I had only joined the place about a month. I didn’t know anybody. I went back to my desk in shock. I looked multiple myeloma up and the first thing that comes up in Google is incurable bone marrow cancer.
“The only person I really knew in there was the HR manager so I went and told her and I broke down crying. She just gave me a massive hug and she said, ‘Just go home, please’.”
After going home to see his family, he spent a day at the cancer centre in Altnagelvin undergoing tests, and another day in hospital in Belfast.
Scans showed what Richie described as a “massive tumour” in his pelvis.
What followed has been years of treatment.
He underwent radiotherapy initially, followed by various forms of chemotherapy and stem cell transplants.
When well enough to do so, Richie has been cycling indoors with a ‘virtual’ team spread across Ireland known as Racing Without Borders.
With his cancer in remission, he competed in the British Transplant Games in Leeds last summer and won a gold medal in cycling.
And this year, he travelled to Perth to compete in the World Transplant Games where he won two bronze and a gold medal.
He is now hoping to raise awareness of the Games themselves, and to spread a positive message for those living with cancer.
“Not many people know about the World Transplant Games,” he said. “Even when I arrived in Perth I went to the barbers, the week of the Games, and people didn’t even know it was on – in the actual city where it was happening.
“We had some great support and I’m very grateful to my sponsors, but it’s all self funded. We reached out to various organisations who didn’t want to know, so I’m hoping to help spread some awareness.
“And also to show that there’s life after diagnosis. Please have a chat with your family and friends and blood and organ donation.”
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