Mary embraces life to the full after heart op

A WEST Cork based businesswoman wife and mother-of-three has a renewed appreciation for life having being told last year that she could have just 12 months to live. 

Mary Mulcahy, co-founder and ceo of Ireland Waste Water, Riverstick celebrated world heart day, which took place on 29th September, with gratitude, as she does every day since her heart surgery in June.

Mary encourages everyone to take care of their heart and also highlights the importance of a second and sometimes a third medical opinion, as she shares her own very personal experience,

‘In March 2022 my cardiac consultant advised me that I may have just 12 months to live. My aortic valve was failing. I had a history of heart disease and had undergone surgical interventions previously but was discouraged from further work based on the high risk level. At one point I was offered counselling to prepare for my inevitable journey towards end of life,’ she said. 

At the time of this news, Mary was an active, middle-aged woman happily living her busy life with her family and running a thriving family business. With husband Niall and three adult children, she could not imagine a future where she would not be present in their lives.

‘From March 2022, I sought multiple opinions in Ireland and in July 2022, I met with Professor Olaf Wendler, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at King’s College London and the Cleveland Clinic London. Fast forward to 11 months later, June 2023, six days post-surgery, I took a stroll in the sunshine with my daughter and sister in Hyde Park. Eight days post-surgery, I was no longer on pain meds. I left London to return home to Riverstick at the end of June this year,’ she said. 

 Mary acknowledges that no two medical cases are the same and she does not take the successful outcome in her case for granted. 

What she seeks to communicate is for people to consider heart health in their daily choices, to encourage people to ‘trust your gut’ when it comes to the heart, particularly in exploring medical opinion and to believe that there is always hope.

On the morning of her surgery, Mary advised him that she was still nervous.  His response was ‘That’s ok, but I’m not!’

The outcome to this day is beyond Mary’s wildest expectations and she expresses that she will be forever thankful to Professor Wendler for his skill, expertise, kindness and for the level of medical care he provided her as his patient. 

‘He rewarded my trust in him with the opportunity to live my life to the full with my family. I will be coming back for periodical checkups, but I no longer face each day with fear and dread. The whole experience has changed my life.’