I had a cup of tea in my hand and tears rolling down my cheeks watching Ear to the Ground last week. Seeing clips of Katherine O’Leary full of energy, feeding her calves while talking about her relentless cancer journey was difficult to watch. It’s hard to fathom that these two things – her energy and her illness – can exist at once.

But I suppose that’s been the way throughout Katherine’s cancer journey – her attitude is always so positive, her voice is strong, her outlook is so full of hope – that it doesn’t feel real that she has this incurable disease. So when her husband Tim said the words to camera, “This is going to end in Katherine dying”, it felt like a sucker punch. Reality hit hard.

I’ve known Katherine for nearly 20 years. She isn’t just a work colleague, she is a friend, and so I know my reaction is personal. But the impact of her words radiates far beyond her family and friends.

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Through her column in this paper, she has made people feel, think, talk about cancer, about life and our own mortality in a way that is quite unique and rare.

There is passion, bravery and truth in every column, and although it isn’t always easy to read, it is real, raw and beautiful

It has also been her therapy. Because – and this is something that Katherine and I have talked about a lot – everyone is different in how they deal with illness. There is no right way or wrong way, there is no rule book.

Some people need to put their head down, focus on getting from treatment to treatment, without distraction, to walk their journey privately. Others are a bit more open but still keep their circle tight, putting their trust in their nearest and dearest. And then there are people who will talk openly about their cancer journey and find their support from a larger pool of people. As Katherine wrote in a recent column, “To date, I haven’t felt the need for counselling. You, my readers, are my counsellors.”

Each person needs to do whatever they need to do to get through it – and the best way is whatever way feels right for them.

But I want to thank Katherine for continuing to put her pen to paper, especially now that her pain is becoming more significant, as she details on the back page of this week’s edition. I know there are times when it is hard to put everything into words. I know there are weeks when she has had to let the next blow sit before she can open up to the world, I know that tears have fallen on her keyboard as she has typed.

There is passion, bravery and truth in every column, and although it isn’t always easy to read, it is real, raw and beautiful.

Last week, for the first time, Katherine and I had a very real conversation. She said, “Ciara, there will come a time when I won’t be able to keep on writing my column”. I replied that I hoped that was a long time away. There was a silence on the phone as we let the words sit.

And then my kids burst in the door, with my son on speakerphone telling Katherine about his day in playschool.

How can the two things exist at once? This is life and this is real.