Show Notes
In this deeply moving episode of A Life After Life, host Deborah Gaby Baker sits down with two extraordinary young women from Dublin — Michaela Dunphy and Carly Mahady — whose lives have been profoundly shaped by cancer. Michaela shares the heartbreaking journey of her husband Dean, who was diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma brain tumour at just 31. From the terrifying moment of his first seizure on the motorway, to two brain surgeries, rounds of chemo and radiation, and a wedding that took place just days before his passing — Michaela's story is one of fierce love, unimaginable loss, and remarkable strength. Now a widow and mother to four-year-old Sloane, she has channelled her grief into the Dean Dunphy Fund, raising money for glioblastoma research in Ireland alongside Professor Annette Byrne's team at RCSI. Carly tells her own story of being diagnosed with secretory carcinoma — an extremely rare breast cancer affecting just 0.01% of people — at 24. Despite being dismissed as a teenager when she first found a lump, Carly persisted, advocated for herself, and came out the other side after a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and IVF egg retrieval. Now nearly six years cancer-free, she is a passionate voice for self-checks, lowering mammogram age limits, and better aftercare for young women. Together, these two women remind us that cancer doesn't discriminate by age — and that turning pain into purpose can change and save lives. Content warning: This episode discusses cancer diagnosis, reoccurrence, palliative care, brain tumours, grief, and loss. Timecodes: TimeTopic 0:00 | Content warning & support resources 0:32 | Welcome & introduction of Michaela Dunphy and Carly Mahady 1:27 | Overview: the Dean Dunphy Fund and Carly's awareness work 2:08 | What A Life After Life is about 2:35 | Michaela's story begins — growing up in Ballyfermot, meeting Dean 3:03 | Miscarriage and early anxiety 4:12 | Lockdown, saving for a house, baby Sloane arrives 4:34 | Dean's first seizure while driving 7:02 | Michaela learns something is wrong at work 8:13 | Dean in A&E — fighting to be seen 11:26 | Hospital stay and MRI with contrast 12:15 | The phone call — something found on the brain 13:05 | Transferred to Beaumont, awaiting biopsy 15:10 | Surgery on 23rd August — biopsy and tumour removal 18:00 | The diagnosis: glioblastoma brain cancer 20:04 | "This cancer is not curable" 20:31 | Second surgery to remove remaining cells 22:40 | Treatment — 40+ rounds of radiation, 6 months of chemo 22:54 | "You have no control over your life" — deciding to get married 23:57 | Dean's seizure the day before the stag party 24:44 | The wedding — Dean in a wheelchair, overwhelmed with emotion 26:47 | Wedding night seizure; Dean on morphine pump 29:21 | Dean's final moments — he opened his eyes one last time 29:44 | A striking detail: Dean was born and died at the same time, on a Wednesday 31:02 | Setting up the Dean Dunphy Fund for glioblastoma research 33:25 | Meeting Prof. Annette Byrne at RCSI — clinical trials in Ireland 35:28 | Carly and Michaela reflect on each other's journeys 38:46 | Carly's story begins — diagnosed at 24 in October 2019 39:12 | Finding a lump at 16; dismissed by GP 41:05 | New GP sends Carly to breast clinic; biopsy 43:00 | Receiving the diagnosis on holiday 46:43 | Secretory carcinoma — 0.01% of people worldwide; a childhood cancer 48:10 | Mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and IVF egg retrieval 51:26 | Life after cancer — lack of aftercare; interest in becoming a counsellor 52:52 | Carly's message: please check your breasts; self-checks save lives 54:52 | Closing reflections — Deborah on both women's impact 56:27 | Final thank yous and sign-off 57:00 | Disclaimer www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/thedeandunphyfund
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