Ireland AM's resident chef Joe Shannon was diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer last year after believing the problem was wind.
Doctors discovered a blockage in his intestines in March of last year after Joe experienced discomfort. Soon after his diagnosis, Joe's health deteriorated, and he was given the last rites in hospital as doctors feared he would not make it through the night.
"We were in the midst of lockdown. One of the days last March in 2021, I was chatting away on a Zoom call and, all of a sudden, I felt terrible stomach cramps and a sensation of retching," he told the Irish Sun.
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"It was just a general cramping like a wind pain. I hadn't gone to the toilet so I thought it was just a simple thing like constipation. I was taking all sorts of laxatives, thinking if I went to the toilet, all my troubles would be over, but it was far from that.
"That pain went on for two days, and I eventually caved into my wife, who insisted that I went to the hospital. Like a lot of men, I was stubborn, and I thought it was a bad case of constipation."
Doctors initially diagnosed Joe with bowel cancer after they discovered a blockage between his small and large intestine. However, during a five-hour operation, they realised that the cancer had also spread to his liver.
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The Virgin Media star said: "At one stage, I was given my last rites by the priest. They were very, very concerned that I wouldn't have made it through the night.
"The infection had taken over my body, and I was very weak."
He added: "By the time it came to my second session of chemo, they realised there was a second tumour that developed in my liver. So we had to suspend the chemo for a month. I had a second surgery where they removed part of my liver and gall bladder."
However, the journey was far from over for the star as he recovered from his surgeries and fought off more infections. Thankfully, Joe's health has much improved and and he recently returned to screens on Ireland Am .
He said: "On April 18, I finished my last of 14 sessions. I am now with no evidence of disease. No one can tell me if it'll never come back, and there are spots on my liver that they have to watch. Every three months, I go to the hospital and get tests."
He continued: "I am not afraid of death as life owes me nothing. I have had — and hopefully will have for a while — a great life, brilliant wife and kids. I was brought up by beautiful, loving parents, brother and sisters.
"I have great friends and have had the pleasure to meet fantastic people. I have made lots of mistakes and could have made better choices on occasions, but show me anybody who is any different."
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