“Without the Mater, I wouldn’t be here today, and I want to celebrate the care they so kindly provided.”
“My name is Pamela, and I am a returning Marilyn for Marilyn’s Mater Paddle. I got to take part in the Paddle the very first year, out in Bray and it was truly wonderful. Last year in 2025, when I signed up to paddle again in Donabate, I was quite unwell.
“Just before the event last May, I ended up in an emergency situation and underwent an unplanned surgery. It meant I wasn’t able to attend last year’s Paddle. But I can’t wait to be there this year, running into the water with my daughter by my side! This is my story…
“There are small, rice-sized glands in your thyroid which help regulate calcium in the blood, called parathyroid glands. Mine weren’t working right. They were producing too much calcium, which was flooding my body and causing excessive pains in my legs.
“I had complete fatigue and was experiencing seizures. For a year, I was bed bound.
“Any previous blood tests I had taken came back with high calcium levels, but it wasn’t very clear why.
“It was by chance we discovered my thyroid was enlarged. I had an accident and ended up in A&E where they decided to do scans. There, they discovered there was something on my thyroid and I was officially diagnosed with Hypercalcemia. Doctors put me on the waiting list for surgery then, but it was going to take some time before surgery would happen.
“While I was waiting, I was admitted to the Mater numerous times with seizures. The hypercalcemia symptoms snowballed. It was turning out to be a worry-filled wait.
“As a result of the hypercalcemia, I got pancreatitis… I needed emergency surgery. Doctors made the decision to remove my thyroid gland at the same time.
“During recovery from this surgery, I started to have severe gallbladder pains. Back to the hospital I went, where another surgery removed my gallbladder and 21 gallstones.
“My hypercalcemia and increase in required medications had built up in my gallbladder and the excess calcium basically became bone.
“On top of all of that, my body reacted poorly to the wash used to clean up internal wounds before surgery finishes.
“The stress the hypercalcemia caused to my mind and body resulted in me being diagnosed with a Functional Neurological Disorder. This means my brain sometimes struggles to send messages to my body which can cause things like limb weakness. Sometimes my legs don’t work. Sometimes I have tremors and even non-epileptic seizures.
“The comeback, the recovery is slow… it’s up and down. I have great days where I can do my 5,000 steps and I feel good. Some days are hard. But the help and the treatment I got from the Mater was outstanding. The staff were simply amazing.
“My daughter and I will be at Marilyn’s Mater Paddle this year and we are so excited. Without the Mater, I wouldn’t be here today, and I want to celebrate the care they so kindly provided.”
-Pamela, Co Louth
You can join Pamela and take part in the sisterhood this Sunday 24th May at the Shoreline Hotel, Donabate, County Dublin and help raise vital funds for Women’s Cancer Care in the Mater Hospital. Grab your spot today!