Living with Multiple Myeloma: Michael O’Regan, Journalist and Broadcaster personal journey of Living with Multiple Myeloma
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
Release Date: 07/19/2021
Behind the Blood: The Caregiver’s experience of blood cancer
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast Orlaith Cormican a PhD student and Nurse chats with Maire Treasa and shares her findings from the research she undertook over the last number of years exploring psychosocial vulnerability in caregivers of individuals with a chronic blood cancer. She talks about the impact that caring for someone has on all aspects of a caregivers life, the life adjustment and the crucial role they play on the patient journey. She also talks about caregivers who are potentially more at risk of becoming psychosocially vulnerable and the need to include caregivers as part of the...
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Title – Living with Myeloma - A Spouse Perspective
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this engaging podcast, Marie Treasa Ni Cheallaigh chats to Ally Bryne, whose husband was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2021. Sharing her family's experience, they discuss everything from diagnosis to fundraising to spreading awareness and the impact of Michael’s diagnosis has had on their young family. Thanks for listening Multiple Myeloma Ireland:
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Living with Cardiac AL Amyloidosis, a personal journey from Michael Bond, Galway native, retired teacher and renowned Ex- Offaly hurling manager
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast, legendary hurling manager Michael Bond, shares his experience of living for a number of years with cardiac AL amyloidosis. Chatting with our host MT, Michael outlines his previous cardiac health, and how he initially attributed his symptoms including shortness of breath to his underlying condition. Michael talks about the importance of advocating for one’s own health and pushing for further investigations when symptoms persist. He candidly shares his journey from diagnosis to treatment, and his visits to the Royal Free AL Amyloidosis centre, Uk. He explains how the treatment...
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The Family - Coping with Multiple Myeloma
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast, Maire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh chats to sisters Rachel and Laura, whose mum was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2016. Sharing their experiences, they discuss everything from the initial shock of the diagnosis, to the limited information available for families of myeloma patients, touching on important issues such as patient autonomy, supporting someone close to you with myeloma, and the emotional impact that comes with a loved one receiving a multiple myeloma diagnosis. Thanks for listening. Multiple Myeloma Ireland:
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Living with Amyloidosis- Diagnostic & referral pathway for Irish patients to the National Amyloidosis Centre in the UK
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast, Episode 1 of the 2nd Series and our second in the Living with Amyloidosis series, Darren Foard and Angelique Smit, nurse experts from the Royal Free Hospital in London, provide an excellent overview of Amyloidosis focussing on disease symptoms, the patient's journey and diagnostic investigations to confirm AL Amyloidosis. They discuss their role in assisting patient navigate their diagnosis and outline the referral pathway for Irish patients for further investigation at the National Amyloidosis Centre at the Royal Free Hospital in London. Amyloidosis management...
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An excellent overview of effective treatments in Multiple Myeloma - Prof O’ Dwyer
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast Prof O’ Dwyer provides an excellent overview of effective treatments in Multiple Myeloma. He has seen the development of many new drugs leading to improved survival in MM patients over his career and he discusses these in detail. He highlights the role of the immune system and the development of immunomodulatory agents to treat Myeloma. Prof O’Dwyer explains the treatment options at diagnosis and the decision making process regarding treatments at relapse. Drugs discussed include Thalidomide, Lenalidomide and Pomalidomide , Bortezomib, Carfilzomib, Bi Specific antibodies...
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Amyloidosis a protein problem - Dr. John Quinn
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast Dr John Quinn explains how AL Amyloidosis, a rare illness which is not fully understood, can often be tricky to diagnose. Early diagnosis, however, is key to minimise organ damage and treatments have improved over the past 10 years with high response rates piggybacking off myeloma treatments. There is no typical Amyloidosis patient and many may have been feeling unwell for 9-12 months before a diagnosis is made. Symptoms of Amyloidosis vary among patients and include generalised tiredness, weight loss, feeling lightheaded, numbness or a tingling feeling in hands or feet,...
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Living with Multiple Myeloma: Michael O’Regan, Journalist and Broadcaster personal journey of Living with Multiple Myeloma
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this final podcast of the series, Journalist, ex-Irish Times correspondent, Kerryman, and Multiple Myeloma patient Michael O’Regan discusses his experience of living with the condition.
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Living with Multiple Myeloma: Updates on treatment approach for Multiple Myeloma, now and into the future.
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast Professor Siobhan Glavey, provides an update of the rapid developments in managing Multiple Myeloma.
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Living with Multiple Myeloma: Emotional Adjustment and Coping
Living with Multiple Myeloma podcast
In this podcast Dr Norma Jean Murphy, Chartered Senior Clinical and Counselling Psychologist, chats to Maire Treasa about overcoming the overwhelming reactions patients may feel at diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma from shock, disbelief, anger, sadness, loss and for some relief they finally have a diagnosis particularly as many patients may have been unwell for some time.
info_outlineIn this final podcast of the series, Journalist, ex-Irish Times correspondent, Kerryman, and Multiple Myeloma patient Michael O’Regan discusses his experience of living with the condition.
Michael's chat with Maire Treasa was recorded as part of the podcast series launch. In this engaging and honest account of Michael's personal story he outlines his diagnosis and treatment journey, which was complicated by the fact that it was his second cancer diagnosis.
His first being a tumour on his leg back in 2018, which could have delayed his multiple myeloma diagnosis. He describes how he had some “classic” symptoms of the disease such as chronic back pain, however he was attributing these to his recovery from surgery and radiation for the leg tumour.
Michael had felt unwell for some time and knew something was wrong. A routine test in 2019 finally identified multiple myeloma, which Michael describes as his “second spin on the cancer merry-go round”. Along with monthly intravenous medication, Michael is now also on kidney dialysis three times a week.
Michael, openly gives his personal experience of how he has coped mentally with his diagnosis, “I’d like to say I dealt with this with bravery and courage and acceptance - I didn’t. I never lapsed into self-pity but I did rage against a second cancer diagnosis”.
He admits that, like many others diagnosed with multiple myeloma, the disease was not on his radar, and he knew very little about it when diagnosed. He is also honest about how he coped. For someone whose career is based on communication, he admitted that it took a while for him to talk about having cancer.
He describes how he found opening up on a personal level difficult, but with the help and support of psychology and excellent healthcare professionals once he decided he would be open about it, it gave him a certain “freedom”. Michael outlines how he went through depression, exhaustion, the physical and the mental side of the condition and its treatment.
He describes his journey through lost and adjustments to now living a “full life”. He describes how it is important to find the right way for each individual to cope. He talks about how the commitment of healthcare professionals and reading other peoples stories has help him, along with volunteer groups. Finally, Michael describes how “cancer can be dealt with” and the excellent treatment available to Irish patients.
Multiple Myeloma Ireland: