Breast cancer patient recovers to take part in Kildare fashion show

In the space of just six months, Naas woman Dervla Hynes has been treated for breast cancer, undergone a mastectomy, recovered to model in a fundraising fashion show and will now lead a 5km charity run this month.

Dervla’s fun run will take place at Naas Racecourse on April 20 at 9.30am and comes just months after a mastectomy.

The run hopes to raise at least €5,000 for Arc Cancer Support Centres and is already close to the targeted amount.

Dervla’s determination stems from a desire to help the resource centre that kept a light shining in her darkest hour. That came last summer. Out of the blue.

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“It was June 2023, it was my 45th birthday,” Dervla recalls.

“I was sitting opposite my GP getting a lump I’d found checked out. I was young, fit, strong and healthy - or so I thought. Fast forward a few weeks, and after much prodding, poking, scans and biopsies, I heard the words ‘I’m really sorry, you have breast cancer.’ Dervla said the news felt like a slap in the face from life. “The shock on families, friends and colleagues faces only mirrored my own shock,” she said. “But now this was my reality.”

Along with her husband, Derek, Dervla sat their 10-year-old son, Conor, down to break the news that his Mom had cancer.

The family say it is not a day they will forget quickly.

“Derek said it wasn’t just me who got cancer, the family unit got cancer. Or so it felt, with each of us trying to process the news and navigate the inevitable worries, anxieties and uncertainties that such a diagnosis brings,” she reflects.

Until then, Dervla had never heard of ARC, the cancer support centres.

But countless people recommended their services to her, and she visited them at their South Circular Road base.

Looking back, it was one of the best decisions of her life.

“The weekly relaxation class with Emer was an hour of bliss, and probably my favourite hour of the week at the time,” she remembers.

In September 2023, Dervla underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction.

All went well, thankfully.

“I was very fortunate I didn’t require radiation or chemotherapy,” she adds. “Just the five years of hormone blocking therapy. Hello menopause! As my cancer was hormone positive, there would be no such luxury as HRT (hormone replacement therapy).

“And so back to my friends in ARC I went to sign up for their menopause programme.”

Dervla says that while physical recovery neared completion, the emotional recovery was only beginning.

Again, ARC was to the fore in helping her on the road to recovery. “Their wonderful counselling service has been helping me to begin to process everything and the rollercoaster of emotions felt since diagnosis.”

The goodwill of people helped too. She says she is still overwhelmed by the kindness and support of everyone - family, friends, neighbours and colleagues and says the power of a text, card or call to someone going through treatment cannot be underestimated. 

“On my day of diagnosis, my breast cancer nurse said to me - you’ll never be the same again,” Dervla adds. “I see what she means now. I’m adjusting to my new normal. I’m focused forwards, but cancer does pop into my rearview mirror.”

She is taking it one day at a time.