Lana's Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) cancer story

Aged just 21, Lana Nolan, a nursing student from Glasnevin, Dublin, was feeling very tired and began experiencing stomach pain. “I didn’t think much of it to be honest. I just put it down to being a bit run down. I was in the middle of placement, working and playing football. All week I’d been in my nursing placement, and my legs were going numb. By the Sunday, I was working in my part-time café job, and my legs were so numb I couldn’t stand up or walk around. I rang my mam and she said ‘you’re going the doctor tomorrow’. So I did.”

The next day, Lana went to her GP and explained her symptoms. “My GP said it sounded like my appendix and made an emergency referral to send me straight to the ED in Connolly Hospital. They did some tests and could see my appendix were inflamed. I’d need surgery. Thankfully, my surgery went well and I was told they’d want to see me again in six weeks’ time.”

“Within days of being discharged, I got a letter to say come back in three weeks for an in-person check and the six week check would just be an online call. I didn’t know any of this at the time, but they had found a tumour on my appendix when they removed them and sent that off for further analysis. I went back in for the three-week check in on my own. 

“I can’t really describe what it was like in the consultation with the doctor – it was a surreal experience. There was a lot of shuffling around of my chart, looking at the computer in front of him, checking my date of birth and full name over and over. I think the doctor was in as much shock revealing what he was about to reveal as I was to hear it. Eventually, I was told I had a Stage 4 Neuroendocrine Tumour in my appendix, which thankfully had been removed when they took out my appendix. I had to interrupt and say, ‘sorry when you say tumour, do you mean cancer?’ ‘Yes’, he said.”

Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) is a rare and slow-growing form of cancer, most commonly found in people over the age of 60. 

“Obviously, it was a bit mad to be told this news and the way I was told it was a bit mad too. I was trying to get as much information out of him as I could because I knew mam and dad would be full of questions. He couldn’t say for certain, but because the Stage 4 NET was right next to a blood vessel in my appendix, he suspected the cancer had travelled to my bowel. He said I’d need further tests to confirm that and we’d then plan my treatment.”

“My mam is an SNA, so I didn’t phone her. I caught my dad on the phone and all I got out was ‘they found a tumour in my appendix’ and then the call cut off. So I’d say he was up the walls with that. He got a hold of my mam and eventually, I got to tell them the news. They were obviously really and upset and worried. I don’t really get that stressed. We’d figure it out and take whatever the next steps were. What else could we do?”

Following further tests, it was confirmed that Lana’s cancer had spread and she had Stage 2 bowel cancer. “To treat the bowel cancer, I had surgery on the 5th of March. This involved the removal of part of my small intestine and some of my colon. I got the results for this surgery end of March and thankfully, my margins were clear. They got all the cancer with surgery and no further treatment is required. I just need to go back in for check ups to keep an eye on things.”

Lana has played minor and U-20 football for Dublin GAA and prior to her cancer diagnosis, she’d signed up for the Dublin City Half-Marathon. “Last year, I did a half marathon with my dad and when the Dublin City one was announced, we said we’d try do it together. He got a ticket in the ballot and I didn’t, but then he transferred it to me. We’ve since got dad a ticket as well so two of us will give it a go the May Bank Holiday. I wasn’t sure with the cancer treatment, whether I’d be able to do it, but I’m hoping after a period of recovery following surgery to be up for it. I don’t think I’ll be hitting a PB but I’m aiming to finish it.”

“I decided to try turn what has happened to me these past few months into a positive so I set up a fundraiser and so far it has raised over €10,000 for the Irish Cancer Society. I can’t really believe how it has taken off and I’m just so grateful to everyone for their support. If you haven’t had a chance yet, please give what you can because the Irish Cancer Society can’t be there with their free supports and services without vital fundraising. Even though I haven’t yet used these services, it is a great comfort knowing they are there. I also can’t thank people enough for their amazing support and help to get me through the last few months. My family have been brilliant, all the girls in the GAA club and college. Everyone has been so supportive.”

Lana is sharing her story to encourage particularly younger people to watch out for any out of the ordinary health issues and to go the GP to get them checked out. “Looking back, I knew something wasn’t right with me, but I didn’t think it was anything too serious to worry about. I was really tired. I was getting severe stomach pain. I’m a young, fit and healthy nursing student and it took my symptoms getting worse and my mam telling me go the doctor for me to actually go. The cancer I have gone through is very rare, and even rarer again for people my age, but my message to young people who might be reading this is to please don’t ignore any persistent health worries or issues. For peace of mind, just go and get them checked out. In my case, it turned out to be incredibly serious and I’m thankful to be okay now and to have acted when I did before things could have maybe gotten worse.”