Young Cork Mother Turns Cancer Battle into Community Fundraiser

When country music star Nathan Carter takes to the stage at Cork City Hall on 30th July, he'll be performing for a cause close to one local family's heart. The headline concert has been organised by Natasha O'Byrne, a 25-year-old Cork mother who is currently fighting bowel cancer whilst raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

O'Byrne's journey began last summer when what seemed like chest pains during the All-Ireland final weekend turned into a months-long medical investigation. Initially suspected gallstones led to a referral for a colonoscopy, but by October, escalating pain required emergency hospital admission.

What doctors first treated as pancreatitis soon revealed a more complex picture. Following extensive testing including ultrasounds, MRI scans, and CT imaging, medical staff discovered enlarged lymph nodes and bowel polyps that warranted further investigation.

The diagnosis came on 11th November - a date O'Byrne had hoped would bring luck. Instead, biopsy results confirmed bowel cancer, making her part of the approximately 10% of bowel cancer patients diagnosed under age 50.

Amy Nolan from the Irish Cancer Society explains that whilst bowel cancer typically affects older adults - hence the HSE screening programme targeting those aged 59-70 - younger diagnoses are becoming increasingly common. The organisation has recently partnered with Trinity St James's Cancer Institute to launch Europe's first young-onset gastrointestinal cancer programme, offering specialised support including fertility guidance, family management assistance, and long-term survivorship planning.

For O'Byrne, time was critical. Rather than delay treatment to preserve fertility options, she chose to begin chemotherapy immediately in December, prioritising her existing family - six-year-old Emilija and five-year-old Max. Her decision reflects a pragmatic approach:

"I already have a family, and looking at my kids, they're all I ever wanted."

Cancer has touched three generations of O'Byrne's family, with her grandmother and mother both having faced their own battles with the disease. This family connection to the Irish Cancer Society spans over two decades, influencing her decision to organise the Cork City Hall fundraiser.

The concert will raise money for clinical trials, palliative care night nursing, and volunteer transport services for chemotherapy patients. Carter's involvement came about through fortunate timing - he was already scheduled to be in Munster and readily agreed to headline the charity event.

Currently undergoing fortnightly chemotherapy sessions, O'Byrne reports significant tumour shrinkage according to recent scans. She maintains a balanced approach to her diagnosis, focusing on positives whilst acknowledging the importance of processing difficult emotions in healthy doses through counselling support.

The fundraising concert represents more than just a single event - it embodies a community rallying around one of their own whilst supporting vital cancer services that benefit patients across Ireland.