Real Life

Woman who became mother’s carer at nine and fell pregnant at 15 wants to give children a voice

Shauna Kaleta is now 24, and began caring for her mother at age of nine before falling pregnant at the age of 15 - she wants to become a youth worker to give children a voice

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Galway woman's undetected blood pressure turned her into a 'walking time-bomb'

Maura Canning, who lives outside Loughrea, shared doctors were astonished that she had not had a stroke or heart attack due to her high blood pressure that has gone undetected

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Teenager, 19, thought she was pregnant but had ovarian cancer with 19cm tumour

Summer Edwards, 22, a student nurse, went from a size six to size 10 “in a matter of weeks” and thought she was pregnant in 2020 as her GP reassured her that it was constipation

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Meet the Wexford woman who left her job as a mental health nurse to join the circus

Ciara Louise Grey always had an interest in gymnastics, but she made her dream of being an aerialist a reality when she joined the circus after a few years of working in mental health nursing

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Former travel agent Róisín totally changed her career by becoming a candlemaker

During Covid-19, Róisín left her fast-paced job in the travel industry to venture out on her own and start a candle and reed diffuser making business

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Woman, 26, thought she had UTI but was diagnosed with stage four cancer

Ellie Wilcock, a 26-year-old content manager, thought she had a UTI (urinary tract infection) in December 2021, but doctors discovered a 15cm mass which turned out to be a large tumour

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Ask Jennifer: My friends have chosen my ex over me

Ask Jennifer is back to provide advice on topics ranging from friends choosing your ex over you to dealing with an intrusive mother-in-law and managing a daughter who's prone to injuries

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Galway witch was 'flat broke' before practising sex magic for 'maximum pleasure' with partners

Billie Bryan, 40, turned her life around after being “flat broke” in 2020 before becoming a witch who practises “sex magic” to give herself and her partners “maximum pleasure”

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Mum, 28, diagnosed with terminal disease after giving birth due to numbness in her hand

Charlotte Parker was diagnosed with ALS nine months after giving birth and was given two to five years’ life expectancy during which time she will become increasingly paralysed

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Pregnant mum diagnosed with breast cancer after she thought nipple lump was blocked milk duct

Rhiannon Baxter, a 35 pharmacy care coordinator, felt a lump on her right nipple and believed it was a blocked milk duct, but it turned out to be breast cancer

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Northern Irish woman lives in a van and pays just €230 a month in bills

Ellen Green, 29, a freelance graphic designer from Northern Ireland, began travelling around Ireland in a van with her dog, Max, a Staffordshire bull terrier, in 2019

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Northern Irish woman lives in a van and pays just €230 a month in bills

Ellen Green, 29, a freelance graphic designer from Northern Ireland, began travelling around Ireland in a van with her dog, Max, a Staffordshire bull terrier, in 2019

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Mum, 52, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and had no clue daughter died of cancer before passing

Clive Downing, 61, said he was "shocked" when his late wife Jayne was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 52 after struggling with memory loss for months

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7-year-old girl came home from school with ‘sniffles’ but died a day later with strep A and sepsis

Clare Louise, 54, lost her seven-year-old in 2018 after she woke up with "the sniffles" and came home from school early as she was “quite lethargic” and her hip hurt

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Irish Paralympian swimmer Nicole Turner credits her parents to keeping her on her professional path

In the world of sports, the spirit of determination knows no boundaries. Paralympic athletes embody this ethos, and Portarlington native Nicole Turner shares her experiences and invaluable advice

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Mum, 50s, thought hot flushes were menopause but was given incurable blood cancer diagnosis

Barbara Geraghty-Whitehead began to experience hot flushes, dizziness, and she developed an ear infection, but put it to the back of (her) mind” before her symptoms persisted

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Dublin mum behind autism fundraiser The Sparkle Ball is fighting back against 'no services, no help and no support'

She has three children as well as her step-son Michael, who works tirelessly alongside her to raise funds and awareness for people with autism, raising €224,000 to date

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Ask Jennifer: My husband always thinks he's right

Ask Jennifer is back to offer advice on significant concerns from dealing with a husband who always thinks he's right, battling the soul-destroying effects of job boredom, and navigating the feeling of drifting apart in a relationship

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Clodagh Cahill on battling the grief of losing her Mother and friend to suicide and early life in foster care

Clodagh, a personal trainer, influencer, and advocate for mental health, bravely shares her experiences growing up in foster care, coping with the tragic loss of her mother and a dear friend to suicide, and her remarkable journey of resilience and discovery

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Cavan woman Jacinta Farrelly diagnosed with stage 4a cancer after severe stomach pain

Jacinta Farrelly explained that she experienced a variety of symptoms, such as stomach pain, weight loss and low appetite, but she didn’t connect them until she became very sick

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I am 25 and I can't ride a bike - and I have no intention to learn

Having gotten this far in life without cycling anywhere, I have no intention of learning now - but people are always convinced that my life will fall apart if I can't

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Navan woman recounts the difficulty of living for over 20 years with extreme chronic pain

Chronic Pain Ireland have launched Pain Awareness Month 2023 - where they are raising awareness of chronic pain during September. Wioletta Misterkiewicz shares her story

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Emma, 32, finds it difficult to pick up the phone and call people as she suffers from phone anxiety

By identifying triggers, practicing relaxation techniques, and seeking support when needed, you can work toward a more confident and anxiety-free communication experience

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Dublin woman who got radical hysterectomy at 26 encourages others to go for screening

Kim Hanly was just 26 years old when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had to get a radical hysterectomy - she has been dealing with ongoing health issues ever since her operation

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