News & Insights
Be Brave – Stand up to Cancer: Liam Poole, Senior Buyer
As part of Mercury’s ‘Staying Connecting this Christmas’ campaign, our team members are sharing their cancer stories, as part of the ‘Be Brave – Stand up to Cancer’ Pillar.
Liam Poole, a Senior Buyer at Mercury, shares his personal cancer story.
Can you tell us your personal story with cancer?
I was displaying some symptoms, but I had ignored it, as in the past when the same thing had happened, when I had it checked out, I was told that it was nothing to be concerned about.
This time, in April 2018 however, when I did get it checked out, it was different. I went in for what I thought was just going to be another routine colonoscopy and wound up finding myself in hospital 13 days later getting a large section of my bowel removed. Following this, I had six weeks to recover from the operation, and then in June that year, I started six months of intensive chemotherapy.
Tell us about the impact and change the diagnosis had on you?
It was very difficult. The day that my wife and I went in to see the doctor that had performed the operation was something that I would never like to have repeated. When we went in to his office, he started off with, “oh hello Liam, great to see you, great news, all went well”., but things quickly changed from “great news” to a conversation that revolved around stage three cancer, lymph nodes and chemotherapy.
This type of conversation was one that my wife Jenny and I were not prepared for, but one that the doctor was obviously used to. As I sat in that chair, I felt numb – like the whole world as I knew it was being sucked from in front of me. I could hear him speaking, but nothing was getting registered after I heard the word cancer. It was the first time that someone had used that word that was directed at me.
When we eventually picked ourselves up, and had time to think about it, we just prepared ourselves for the road ahead, or as the doctor had said – ‘the journey’ that we we’re going on. All throughout my treatment, on any given day, I was asked if I wanted to cancel or stop, and my answer was always a firm ‘no’, because, as I told the Nurses on more than one occasion, this was not going to define me!
Why are you supporting against the fight against cancer?
I’m supporting this fight, because without the good people out there working hard to find cures for this disease, a great many of us would not be here to tell our story of the great work that they are doing and how far they have come with the research and treatments now available to us.
What can people do to stand up to cancer and why do you feel it’s important to support fundraising and creating awareness?
Never ignore anything, no matter how small you think it may be, get it looked at. Don’t be afraid to speak up and tell someone if you are concerned.
Fundraising helps with the research which ultimately saves lives – of friends, family and all of our loved ones. Please be great and donate! Give other people a chance to say – “I’m a Cancer Survivor”.
Thank you for reading my story.
Be Brave – Stand up to Cancer
2019 saw the launch of Be Brave: Stand up to Cancer where Mercury’s employees led a campaign that helped to raise €41,000 for cancer, we were also shortlisted in two categories at the 2020 HR Management & Leadership Awards due to the incredible efforts made by staff during the campaign.
So far this year, our Mercury staff have supported several different fundraising initiatives. As 2020 nears its end, please keep up the generous momentum and help us stay connected this Christmas season by getting involved on Friday 4th December in our Stand up to Cancer Day by wearing pink at work or at home, donating or raising awareness about cancer.
Check out our previous employee interviews here.
