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Timmy Walsh

From the time I walked into my doctor’s office, the care and support were fantastic. I have nothing but good things to say about our health system and the people who looked after me

Timmy’s Story

Timmy’s Story: Finding Strength and Support Beyond Cancer Treatment
 
When Timmy Walsh first began feeling unusually tired in 2023, he didn’t think much of it. With no other symptoms, he visited his GP for routine bloodwork. An hour later, he received a call that changed everything. His doctor urged him to return immediately—so urgently that when Timmy suggested going home to drop off his car, the doctor insisted he come straight back. Within minutes, an ambulance brought him to Ballinasloe Hospital, and shortly afterwards he was transferred to University Hospital Galway (UHG). There, Timmy heard the words no one expects: he had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
“It was a huge shock,” he recalls. But even when describing one of the most difficult moments of his life, Timmy is quick to highlight the care he received. “From the time I walked into my doctor’s office, the care and support were fantastic. I have nothing but good things to say about our health system and the people who looked after me.”
After completing treatment, Timmy assumed his cancer journey was behind him. But his oncologist encouraged him to contact Cancer Care West to support his ongoing recovery. “I wasn’t sure what they could do for me,” he admits, “but it turned out to be the best decision I ever made.”
From the moment he entered the Cancer Care West Support Centre in Galway, Timmy felt he was in the right place. There he met Alazne Larrinaga, the centre’s exercise physiologist, who became a key figure in his post-treatment recovery. “Alazne designed an exercise programme to help me rebuild my strength and resilience. Two and a half years later, I’m still attending the gym and following her guidance.” Each session ends with twenty minutes of the Alexander Technique, a relaxation and body-awareness practice that Timmy really enjoys and describes as both calming and energising.
Timmy also attends Cancer Care West’s monthly support group, where he meets others who are living with or recovering from cancer. “It’s lovely to be able to talk, ask questions, and just be around people who truly understand what you’re going through.”
“Everyone at Cancer Care West is so welcoming and helpful. I also really appreciate how professional and discreet they are. I just can’t say enough about the difference they’ve made to my life after cancer—and the fact that all of this support is provided free of charge is incredible.”
As Timmy looks ahead to his five-year, cancer-free milestone, he has no intention of stepping back from the support centre. “In fact I’m thinking of starting yoga there in the New Year,” he says with a smile.
What began as a step into the unknown has become a cornerstone of his recovery. Cancer Care West has helped him regain strength, rebuild confidence, and rediscover joy in everyday life. “They’ve changed my life after cancer,” Timmy says. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”

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