“When you mention cancer, people think of a death sentence straight away. I thought to myself: ‘That’s it. Three or four years and that’ll be me gone.’
Seamus Connolly got the news no man wants to hear… ‘You have prostate cancer.’ But fortunately for Seamus, due to routine blood tests and a known history of prostate cancer in his family, he was well prepared for such a diagnosis.
“I have been checking my PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels since I turned 40 years old. This specific blood test checks the prostate gland. My dad had prostate cancer, so my GP started my routine blood tests a bit earlier in life than what is standard. That routine blood test saved my life.
“Two years ago, I got a call to say that my PSA had risen a little, and they would check it again in six weeks. That was the start of my journey. The minute you hear something like that, something clicks in your brain. Your attitude changes.
“When the next blood test came back a little higher again, my GP examined me and said he could feel something in my prostate. I was referred to the Mater.
“I knew by the way the consultant in the Mater was talking that there definitely was something going on with my prostate. The consultant was a lovely man, but I just knew. I got my biopsy done, and it was confirmed that I had prostate cancer.
“That was a massive, massive shock. Even though, in the back of my mind, I probably did know, when you hear it from somebody who is an expert in the field, it becomes real.
“The consultant went through the entire process with me and said taking it out was probably the best way to go. He explained it was going to be done through robotic surgery and would be overall less intrusive.
“The people in the Mater—all the staff, anybody who had anything to do with my care—were absolutely brilliant. I couldn’t have met nicer people, and they helped me through my journey.
“The morning after surgery, the staff came in and said it had gone really well. The only thing they did say was that the cancer was very aggressive. We made the right decision to get it out.
“I was surprised when they said I could go home that next day. I had no pain. I was a little tender, and the first night I couldn’t lie down comfortably, but the following night I slept in my own bed with absolutely no problem.
“Without my wife, Sharon, I don’t know what I would have done. She kept me going. For six weeks while I recovered, she looked after my every need and kept me on the straight and narrow.
“To be honest, I haven’t looked back since. At the very start, I came into the Mater every three months for bloods and scans. Now it has moved out to every six months. I try not to think about it until I get the notification to come back in.
“The aftercare from the staff has been second to none. There is always somebody on the end of a line, a nurse I can ring if I’m worried about something.
“Touch wood, things are going great. Everything is going really well. But the whole experience was an eye-opener, and it did change me. I have a different attitude on life.
“Prostate Cancer is a pretty serious illness, and some people are not so lucky—they don’t get to it in time.
“Don’t wait for somebody to tell you that you need to get your prostate checked. Ask your GP to run the PSA test when you get your bloods. It’s not something you have to wait for. It’s not like ‘Oh, I can’t get a prostate exam until I’m 60.’ No, you’re much safer just to stay on top of it. If cancer spreads outside of the prostate, things get much harder.
“If there is something there, it needs to be sorted. Don’t be worried about the examination or the biopsy. It is a life-saving procedure. It is self-care. These things have to be done.”
Seamus’ Dip in 2025
“One day I heard PJ and Jim talking about the Dickie Dip on Radio Nova, and that was it—I took out my phone and signed up.”
“What an experience. It was absolutely unbelievable. The atmosphere was like a concert—the music, the craic and everyone singing Ireland’s Call as we walked down to the beach. People were there for all sorts of reasons: some had prostate cancer, others knew someone who did, and everybody had a story to tell. You could end up in tears talking to one person and have a good laugh with the next.
“I was told that money raised through the Dickie Dip had helped fund the robotic surgery equipment used in my own treatment. That drove me even more. If anybody wants to do something as a fundraiser, the Dickie Dip is the way to go. I’ll definitely do it again.”
-Seamus Connolly
You can support patients like Seamus and help fund projects that provide:
- vital in-house anti-cancer treatments for patients
- new diagnostic equipment for early detection
- and post-treatment supports focused on patient care and comfort