Emma Hannigan

“My husband does go berserk when I say I’m lucky that I have had cancer nine times,” notes bestselling author Emma Hannigan wryly. “He says: ‘You would be lucky if you didn’t have it.’”

Of course, what Emma really means is that she is counting her blessings to have come through cancer yet again, after it returned “with vengeance” shortly before Christmas in 2013.

“It was probably the worst diagnosis I’ve ever had because there was such an awful lot of it,” says Emma, who has the rare BRCA gene.

“I had 50 sessions of radiation. I did 25 before Christmas, I got a break for about 10 days and then I did another 25. For the first time ever with the cancer treatment I was in an awful lot of pain, because I had to be clipped down to a very hard table to have the radiation. But because the tumours were so close to the surface of the skin I could feel them shrinking. I knew the treatment was working, so that kept me going.”

Fortunately, the radiation was successful and Emma is cancer-free, though she still receives chemotherapy every three weeks as a precautionary measure.

She is also celebrating the release of her latest book, The Heart of Winter, the sequel to Driving Home For Christmas, which she wrote while undergoing radiation.

“It’s probably my biggest achievement, in so far as I was going through so much when I was writing it,” she says. “I was just very lucky that my head was in my book, so it is most definitely a wonderful gift to have, to be able to escape.”

While Emma acknowledges her cancer may return, she remains positive about the treatment options that are now available.

“They are so close with many of the cures and more and more people are surviving. I literally am the proof that the new drugs work. There is so much hope there and really that is what I always want to convey to people.”

Christmas is a special time for Emma. Last year she had not one, but seven Christmas trees. There will be 18 sitting for Christmas dinner and she, husband Cian, children Sacha (14) and Kim (13), and Emma’s parents will celebrate the new year at Dromoland.

“I’m always grateful every Christmas and new year that I am there for,” says Emma.

“I’d just like to wish readers a very happy and peaceful Christmas, to bring the people who enhance your life to you and embrace it all. That’s what I’ll be doing anyway.”

The Heart of Winter by Emma Hannigan is published by Hachette, RRP €15.99.

Kate Kavanagh

The thing that Kate Kavanagh is most looking forward to this Christmas is buying a diary for 2015 – “and being able to make plans and stick to them, knowing that I’m not going to end up in hospital,” says the 27-year-old PR executive from Barna, Co Galway, who had a double lung transplant in July.

This time last year, Kate struggled to walk up the stairs, was left breathless by making her bed, needed to carry oxygen even on a regular shopping trip and, with just 30% lung capacity, spent a total of 25 weeks in hospital in 2013 as she battled infection after infection.

“There was just no quality of life there,” says Kate. “If I wanted to go for a weekend to Dublin, for example, I had to bring a bi-pap machine (to breathe at night), my nebuliser and my medicines.

“This time last year, one of my best friends got married and I missed her hen because I was in hospital and then I missed her wedding. It’s very hard when you have to sit back and let it all pass you by.”

Having gone on the active transplant list in July 2013, Kate got the call a year later from the Mater to say they had a possible match. Rushed to Dublin by ambulance, she recalls the tension of waiting to find out whether the lungs were viable and if she was a suitable candidate – especially as another patient was also called in.

“I definitely knew there was a chance that it wouldn’t happen,” she says, “but at the same time I needed to be positive about it.”

Fortunately, Kate was the best match and after 11 hours in surgery she took her first breath without a ventilator three days later.

“To be able to fill up my lungs with air was such an amazing feeling,” she recalls.

Since then, “life has changed completely”. One of the first things she did after recovering from surgery was walk the prom in Salthill. A new aim for 2015 is to climb Croagh Patrick, but mostly she’s looking forward to getting back to normal. Even walking up the stairs has a certain thrill.

“I’m running up the stairs,” she laughs. “You can’t even explain the happiness that it’s brought me and my family.”

Of course, she feels a deep sense of gratitude to the family of the person whose organ donation has given her this second chance.

“I could never thank them enough because they gave me the gift of life,” she says. “It was such a selfless act on their part. Through their loss they’ve given me new hope. Maybe for a new year’s resolution I would encourage people to carry a donor card.

“This time last year, getting a lung transplant would have been my Christmas wish and while I always dreamed it would happen, there was a part of me that felt it might never happen. It’s definitely going to be a Christmas to remember.”

Therese and Aisling Tanner

Like many children her age, Aisling Tanner is hoping to get a tablet for Christmas, but the 11-year-old from Coppeen, Co Cork, also has more important long-term ambitions.

“She wants to be a meteorologist when she grows up,” explains Aisling’s mother, Therese. “And she wants to walk.”

Born 10 weeks premature, weighing just 2lbs 14oz with a grade one bleed on her brain, Aisling was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy at nine months.

“They didn’t know whether she would ever sit up, whether she’d talk,” says Therese, who has three other children, Cádhla, Gearóid and Ciarán, with husband Fergus.

“Both her hands were turned in, so we never knew if she would ever write or anything like that. Whereas now she doesn’t stop talking and she doesn’t stop writing.”

Indeed, Aisling, who is in fifth class in Coppeen National School, has made huge progress despite the fact that she is only entitled to 12 hours’ physiotherapy a year. Taking matters into her own hands, however, Therese came across a therapy available in Scotland called advanced biomechanical rehabilitation (ABR). ABR aims to strengthen the parts of the body affected by cerebral palsy through home-based, hands-on treatment, with Therese and Fergus receiving an individually tailored programme of movements from ABR staff.

However, the treatment is expensive – over £2,000 per two-day session – which is why the Tanners are so grateful to the people of west Cork, who have supported the Aisling Tanner Fund to avail of this treatment, with fundraisers including a car wash, coffee mornings and a fashion show.

“We’ve been six times now,” says Therese. “Her posture has really improved an awful lot, her head has come out of her shoulders, her thorax is much stronger and her shoulder girdle is way stronger. She takes part in everything in school – even the hurling skills.”

ABR requires huge dedication from the entire family. Therese and Fergus can spend up to five hours each day doing exercises with Aisling to strengthen her joints and muscles.

“It does take up time but I’m only going to get one chance with this and I’m just going to grab it with both hands and see how far we can go.”

Although Aisling can walk short distances with the aid of a walking frame, her aim is to one day be able to walk independently. While there is a long road ahead and no guarantees, the family remain hopeful that one day Aisling will get her wish.

“The thing about ABR is it’s not a miracle – it’s all just progress, although sometimes it feels like a miracle to me,” says Therese. “It’s a long road ahead, but there’s hope there and with the support we have from the people of west Cork and county, we’ll all get there.”

Donations can be made to The Aisling Tanner Fund through AIB Bank Dunmanway, sort code 93-60-73 and account number 056-92022.