Oisin Condon is twin brother to Cillian who was diagnosed with T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in March 2018.
Oisin’s story:
We were with Granny going to Dublin for a drive. Cillian said he felt really really sick and my Granny said we should go back to Wexford Hospital. I had to go home on my own with Richie while Cillian went to the hospital. Richie told me I had to go to my aunts house in Tipperary because Cillian was very sick.
I visited Cillian in Crumlin Hospital after a few days. I was little bit scared because he had a lot of tubes coming out of him. I remember I helped him walk for the first time and he had a big long metal pole with a big box of water he had to walk with. I remember Mummy telling me Cillian had cancer. I didn't know what it was, but I wanted to know when he would be better. Mummy said it will take a few years and he won’t be better until he is 10 (we were 7 at this time ) and I started to cry. I was really confused and scared. Cillian was in hospital for a while and then he got to come home.
I remember Richie had to pick Cillian up and carry him upstairs to use the toilet. When I went back to school my teacher gave me a hot chocolate, just for me nobody else, and was really nice to me. Our gaming room got changed and Mummy had to use it for all of Cillian’s medication and chemotherapy. My Mum and Dad brought Cillian to hospital a lot and I had to stay with different people. I had lots of fun with my family when they looked after me. When he was home he used to get sick on my bedroom floor a lot, I had to be careful because his sick was toxic, but I would always tell Mummy when it happened. Cillian had a freddy (Hickman line ) in his chest and once a football hit it and broke it, I don’t know why, but this was the most afraid I was for Cillian, but he was fine, Mummy put a peg on it and Crumlin hospital gave him a new one.
Cillian then started maintenance treatment and he was not as sick anymore and could walk again. We moved house aswell. I felt bad for Cillian when school was teaching us how to swim. I didnt’ even want to do it, but Cillian really did and he couldn't because he couldn’t get his freddy wet. Having a brother with cancer is really scary but we are lucky Cillian has really good doctors. I am happy that now we do lots of things for charities such as Relay For Life, Barretstown and Make A Wish, I went on the BUMBLEance once too.
I don't think I could do what Cillian does, I don’t like needles and he doesn't even feel them anymore.I am proud of him for being brave and I think we play together really well and I love my brother.
A few words from Sinead, the boys Mum:
Helping Oisin to write his side of the story has been very eye opening. I thought he was going to say how hard everything was, but he just doesn't see it that way, he only really sees the good!
If he had something negative to say he then balanced that with a positive. This makes me so proud of him, he has honestly been so important to Cillian’s treatment and we wouldn't have got through the last 3 years without Oisin and his goofy, positive self. He is definitely a super sibling!
A few words from Cillian:
Oisin has helped me get through treatment like when I'm on steroids he always cheers me up when I'm mad. I sometimes feel bad for Oisin because he has a lot of rules to follow, but he doesn't get mad at me. I talk to Oisin when I'm worried and he helps me by making me laugh. I'm lucky to have my twin brother.
