A 56-year-old TD who was diagnosed with bowel cancer during the general election campaign has said that he never considered stepping back from politics.
Cork North Central Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould underwent an emergency operation in September of last year.
He told the Opinion Linewith PJ Coogan on Cork’s 96FM that he had to “get on with life” following his sudden and shocking diagnosis.
“I'm really proud to be a TD for Cork North Central. And for me being able to go to work, being able to come in here and do interviews, being in the Dáil this week speaking.
"What was I going to do, go to bed and feel sorry for myself? I actually love my job.”
Deputy Gould is still undergoing chemotherapy. He stresses that the reality of life is that many cancer patients “go to school, go to college every day, raise families” in the midst of chemo, radium or a different type of cancer treatment.
In hindsight, Mr Gould realises that he was suffering from exhaustion for about 18 months before he was diagnosed.
“I couldn't figure out what it was. Outside of that, I had very few other issues. I went for tests and they thought I was anaemic and then they put me on iron tablets thinking my iron counts were low.
"I went for different tests over different months. And then what happened was I went for a test in September and I went out to see the consultant to get the results. I never brought my wife with me or my sisters. I had no inclination that was what I was facing.
"So I met Dr Shane Killeen on a Friday and he says, ‘You’re coming in next Wednesday to (be) operated on.’ I was shocked.
"He said if he had a theatre he would have operated on the Friday. The closest one he could get was on the Wednesday.
"It was an emergency operation and I had to go because I had a tumour in my bowel and it needed to be got out. It was so sudden. I hadn’t thought I was that sick.”
Mr Gould had the surgery the following Wednesday in the Mercy Hospital in Cork city.
“I had the tumour removed and it went well.They got the tumour, they got all the cancer around it. They sent parts off then to be analysed.
"A week or so later, I got back the results to say that they had all the cancer in the bowel, but there seemed to be some in the lymph nodes. And then I had to go Derek Power who is a a consultant in cancer.
"And Derek said Shane got all the cancer, but to be doubly sure and be precautionary I should start chemo when I got over over the effects of the operation.”
The father of two is enormously grateful for the excellent care provided to him by hospital staff since he got unwell.
He also feels forever in the debt of Sinn Fein colleagues who assisted him enormously during the general election campaign.
“I have unbelievable people around me, family, friends and people in Sinn Féin. And people came out then who heard I was sick. People canvassed, leafleted —the amount of work that people put in.
"I really appreciate it because when things go wrong for you and things are down, people come out.
"But I was lucky, I made a really good recovery after the operation. For some people, having a tumour removed, it could take months or years to get over the surgery.
"In my case, I made a good recovery, but I was lucky. I would go out for the start of a canvas for maybe half an hour and meet some people and then go home.
"Or I might come out after the canvas and they would say maybe three or four people wanted to speak to me and I would drive around to their houses.”
Mr Gould admits that whilst his prognosis was good all sorts of things went through his head after surgery.
“You are laying in bed after having the tumour removed. I was there for two weeks. They are saying it went well, but they're waiting on the test results. You still have that time to contemplate.
"And even when I went home then, because for a couple of weeks, for two or three weeks, I was bed bound at home. And then you're looking at things.
I think Michelle (his wife) and the girls and my dad and my sisters and my friends and family, they're felt it more than me.
"Michelle said to me, ‘you're very relaxed about it.’ And I suppose my attitude is, I'll do what the doctors tell me, I'll follow the instructions and they're the experts and you have to listen to the experts.’
Deputy Gould said that the Cork sense of humour has brightened up his chemotherapy sessions.
“I started the chemo in the Lee Road Centre, which is part of the Mercy Hospital in December. And actually, I'm going through chemo at the moment.
"I'm up again next week. Cork people have a great sense of humour.
"I was sitting, getting my first lot of treatment and there was other people around me. And this man from Mayfield said, ‘Tommy, listen, we gave you a vote.’
"And I said, I really appreciate that. And then there was a fellow from Farranaree. He said, ‘Tommy, how are you keeping?’ I said, ‘not too bad.’
"He said, ‘listen, I'll talk to you afterwards. My daughter's looking for a house.’ He was only joking.
"He's getting chemo, I'm getting chemo and they're hopping the ball, you know? “
Deputy Gould, who retained his seat in the election, has only missed the Dail on two occasions since he got sick.
“Well, I suppose I've been lucky so far. I've only missed the Dail twice. But like, I'm getting chemo next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week. So I won't travel to Dublin next week.
"But the week after then I will. And it's kind of two week blocks, I get it. This week I was in Dublin on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
"I do a clinic every Monday then. So even the weeks I have chemo, I have a full clinic. And then Thursday and Friday I meet with groups around Cork.
"The reason I did the interview today is because I know some people know, but I know others don't. And I wanted to be upfront with people.
"I'm still working hard, I'm still doing my clinics, and I still feel that I have a lot to offer for years to come.”
