21-year-old GAA star’s shock stage four cancer diagnosis after ‘legs going numb’

Operators discovered the tumour during appendectomy.

Nursing student Lana Nolan from Glasnevin in Dublin received the life-changing diagnosis earlier this year after a tumour was discovered during her emergency appendix removal.

"I just didn’t feel like myself and my legs just kept on going numb – so I kept having to sit down which wouldn’t be normal.”

While on work placement, Lana was feeling so exhausted, she could no longer stay standing during long shifts.

As her fatigue worsened, her GP sent her to A&E and she had her appendix removed, but this was just the beginning.

Surgeons immediately identified the tumour during the procedure as it was attached to the appendix and connected via a blood vessel to the bowel, where the cancer had spread.

Once the surgery was completed, Lana was not told about the cancer discovery.

 “When I was leaving the hospital for the appendix they were like ‘you will probably be back in six weeks for a check-up’ and then I got a letter in the post a week post-op saying to come back in two weeks.

She attended the appointment alone, thinking it was just a 'normal check-up'. However, it was then she was told she had stage four cancer in her appendix and stage two cancer in her bowel.

“I was in complete shock… I didn’t know what to say and I was like, ‘How am I going explain…’

“Because I was on my own so I was like, ‘How am I going to explain this to my mam and dad?’”

Lana had part of her right colon and small intestine removed, a surgery she only recently learned was a success.

“I actually only found out yesterday morning (March 25), they called me back in, and it hasn’t spread. So that is all done now.

"I feel like I can just breathe again. There’s not like the big worry – and even just being able to plan things like there’s not going to be more surgery or treatments."

Although she will continue to be monitored, life is returning to normal for the 21-year-old, who is now set to run the Dublin Half Marathon in May, raising money for the Irish Cancer Society.

At the time of writing, she has raised over €8,000 via her GoFundMe page, on which she shares her frightening health journey.

"I first put the target at €500 and I wasn’t even sure I would hit that. I wasn’t expecting this at all.

“I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone. Everyone’s lives have been affected by cancer in some sort of way and this charity does so much amazing work.”