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FINANCE MINISTER MICHAEL NOONAN has described the moment he discovered he had cancer.
Noonan said he found out the same way “a lot of people” do.
“You’re showering in the morning and suddenly your fingers run over something and you say ‘Jesus, there’s a lump there’.”
Noonan, who previously served as the Minister for Health, said he was not surprised by the diagnosis, noting: “One in every three people in Ireland unfortunately get cancer sometime in their lifetime.”
Yesterday he confirmed that he had received treatment for skin cancer after finding a lump on his right shoulder in February.
He said that he received five weeks of radiotherapy in March and April at St Luke’s Hospital before having the sarcoma removed last Wednesday. He was discharged from hospital on Saturday.
Noonan said he is fit enough to continue serving as finance minister and had been “taking it easy” over the weekend.
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He added that, at present, he fully intends to stand for re-election in the 2016 General Election.
“There’s another budget I need to bring in and another one after that,” he told reporters this morning.
Noonan said he told Enda Kenny about his diagnosis the day after he found out. He said he kept the Taoiseach up to date with ”a sentence here and a sentence there”, but added the pair had not held any “lengthy discussions” on the issue.
I told a couple of people who would be very close to me politically and I told my immediate family.
Noonan said he “hopes” that he will work as well with the new leader of the Labour party, either Joan Burton or Alex White, as well as he did with Eamon Gilmore.
“It’s the stated intention of both contenders to continue for the full lifetime of the government,” he remarked.
Noonan said he remained committed to getting the government’s deficit below 3 per cent of GDP this year.
On the subject of discretionary medical cards, he added that some people would be getting their cards back following a “long discussion” at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
With reporting by Hugh O’Connell
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Unsung heroes. Well done to them all
And here’s me complaining about the weather. Put’s everything into perspective.
It must be so difficult having a child with special needs. But it does seem to bring the best out in people. Well done to you Jennifer for being the type of mother we could all learn from. And that 12 yr old boy is some hero. God bless ye both and hats off to ye.
Jennifer what a wonderful mother you are to your two children. Caring for them in such a loving and selfless way when you yourself must have a hard time of it with this condition yourself. Some people have a heavy load to carry on their shoulders. You are an inspiration. Wishing you and your family all the best.
Congratulations to all of you.also
Fairplay to her, very deserving. Though it was unfortunate that on SixOne when the camera cut to her 3 year old playing a game on a tablet, it was the Grand Theft Auto (rated 18). She was in the middle of carjacking somebody and the voice over was Jennifer saying “You always need to be watching them”.
You couldn’t script it. Whoever was in charge of editing that footage could not have missed that…
That is only something that a mother could do and Jennifer this is something in life that only a mother understands and you will be well rewarded. I know people who have no children. it is so sad, the greatest pleasure in life is your own child or children you are blessed life is not easy but there is millions of couples who would love to have what you have and i hope that you and your children have a long and happy life i wish you all well
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