Tipperary woman Majella O’Donnell was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. Married to Country ’n’ Irish legend Daniel since 2002, she became iconic in her own right when she shaved her head, live on The Late Late Show, to raise money for charity. The Irish Cancer Society made €600,000 and Majella’s bravery and good cheer made her a national treasure. She’s since got the all-clear on her illness.
Her TV appearances include The All Ireland Talent Show and Celebrity Bainisteoir. Her memoir, It’s All in the Head, was nominated for the Irish Book Awards and she currently writes an advice column in the Irish Independent. She recently became a grandmother, when daughter Siobhan had baby Olivia.
We spoke to Majella about her cancer: before, during and after.
When did you first find out you were ill?
I was diagnosed in July 2013. They said I’d caught it early, so I was lucky. It hadn’t spread and I had it removed in August. Then chemotherapy treats the system, to make sure there are no rogue cancer cells hiding anywhere.
This came as a bolt from the blue?
Absolutely. I found a lump, but I’d found lumps before. I’d go to the doctor and they always said ‘cyst’ or ‘benign’, so even when I found that one, I wasn’t worried. The consultant examined me and said, ‘I don’t think it’s anything to worry about’. Then I went for a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy, and when I went back he said, ‘I’m surprised, but yes, it is cancer’.
Were you scared?
To be honest, I never really believed I had cancer. It was strange, the way I reacted. I didn’t feel sick – it was only the chemo that made me sick. I’m the kind of person who won’t allow myself to take things like that on board. I didn’t think,’Oh God, I have cancer, I could die’. I’m a positive thinker, and I’d say to myself: ‘Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll have an operation and be fine. Take it one day at a time and don’t think about five years down the road’.
Anything can happen in five years…
Yes. There’s no point trying to predict what will be. Deal with every day as it comes.
Do you think a positive mental attitude is a big part of recovery?
It’s very important. The mind controls the body to some extent. Obviously, I don’t know if it’s going to come back, but I try not to even think about it. If I get an odd pain I might wonder if that’s something, but I wouldn’t dwell on it. I live life normally. I’m a firm believer in what will be, will be. My life is mapped out and I can’t do much about it.
What prompted you to shave your head on The Late Late Show?
I don’t know. It was like a bolt from above, because it wasn’t a conscious decision. I went to bed and was nearly asleep when, boof, I got this thought: ‘Shave your head on television for charity’. Literally like that, as if someone had placed the thought in my head. But once it was there…next morning, I was almost fanatical. I said it to Daniel and he said, ‘Are you sure you want to do it? If you do, I’m 100% behind it’. I had to – I felt that strongly about it.
How was your treatment and recovery?
Chemotherapy is not pleasant. It really messes with your brain; you feel out-of-sorts, you can’t carry on a conversation. For a few days you’d be fl at out, but then you start feeling better again. And I knew this was doing me good, even though in one sense you’re putting poison in your body. Then I had surgery and that wasn’t too bad. I’m not making light of it, it wasn’t nice – but it was do-able. And better than I thought it would be. I’ve suffered from depression, and that’s a far scarier place. With cancer and chemo, you know you’ll feel better in a few days; in the depths of depression, you really feel you’ll never get out of it. People are very sympathetic when it comes to cancer, but find depression hard to understand.
And no better man than Daniel as a rock through it all…
Absolutely. Daniel carried on touring because I wanted that; this was something I had to do on my own. I wanted life to go on as normally as possible, but when he was there, he knew what to do. He knows me, how to be with me. He was a great support.
Have you had to change your life much, post-cancer?
The oncologist gave me a few tips: green tea is beneficial, exercise is very good, don’t put plastic in the microwave. I gave up coffee and tea, moved onto green tea, everything organic, wasn’t drinking wine… And I just thought, ‘This is miserable! I can’t live like this’. As I said earlier, what will be, will be – in the meantime I’m going to live life to the fullest. I mean, I’m reasonably healthy, I exercise, keep my weight in check…I’m not negligent. I’m just not going to be OTT.
You had your first grandchild recently – a perfect case of ‘life goes on’…
She’s gorgeous. It’s wonderful. You can’t appreciate being a grandparent until it happens; you love them unconditionally the minute they arrive. Yeah, life goes on.
Darragh McManus
