EXCLUSIVE: A nursing student who has been playing Gaelic football ever since she can remember was left in shock after she was diagnosed with stage four cancer aged just 21
Liam McInerney Content Editor
06:00, 29 Mar 2026Updated 08:46, 29 Mar 2026
Lana Nolan is a dedicated and talented footballer (Image: Lana Nolan)
A nursing student who is obsessed with Gaelic football was diagnosed with stage four cancer — after a tumour was immediately discovered during her emergency appendix removal.
Lana Nolan, 21, from Glasnevin, Dublin, had her life transformed in January — and in recent days she has raised more than €8,000 for the Irish Cancer Society.
She has now chatted exclusively with the Irish Mirror about her rocky start to 2026 — revealing she was all alone when she got told the devastating news that still doesn’t feel real.
As for how her health nightmare began, the talented footballer, who has represented Dublin at both Under-20 and minor levels, told us: “The first week in January I just felt rotten. I just didn’t feel like myself and my legs just kept on going numb – so I kept having to sit down which wouldn’t be normal.”
Lana was on work placement for her nursing degree and she could no longer stay standing for her 13-hour shifts.
Lana pictured with her dad Des Nolan (Image: Lana Nolan)
Her fatigue and discomfort started on a Monday and by Sunday she had to leave work early because she could simply no longer remain on her feet.
After visiting her GP, she was immediately sent to A&E to have her appendix removed. However, unbeknown to Lana, this was just the beginning.
During the surgery, operators noticed a tumour right away. It was in the appendix and was linked with the blood vessel which was connected to her bowel — which is where the cancer spread to.
However, after the appendix was removed, Lana was not told about the cancer.
The sporty young woman said not being able to play football has been challenging for her (Image: Lana Nolan)
She remembered: “When I was leaving the hospital for the appendix they were like ‘you will probably be back in six weeks for a check-up’ and then I got a letter in the post a week post-op saying to come back in two weeks.
“They didn’t tell me to bring anyone. I went in on my own thinking it would be a normal check-up.”
However, aged just 21, and all alone, Lana was told she had stage four cancer in her appendix and stage two cancer in her bowel.
She said being told you have cancer at that age was something you can never prepare for.
She could never have imagined 2026 going this way (Image: Lana Nolan)
And speaking to this reporter, she added: “I was in complete shock… I didn’t know what to say and I was like, ‘How am I going explain…’
“Because I was on my own so I was like, ‘How am I going to explain this to my mam and dad?’”
She added: “How am I going to explain it? I had already missed placement because of my appendix… so I was like, ‘How am I going to finish my nursing degree?’”
Lana had to wait for specialists to confirm whether she needed surgery on her bowel.
Her family have been there for her every step since learning of the diagnosis (Image: Lana Nolan)
She later got a letter explaining that she was to have part of her right colon and small intestine removed before she had the surgery four weeks later.
And in a hugely positive update, she told us: “I actually only found out yesterday morning (March 25), they called me back in, and it hasn’t spread. So that is all done now.”
Asked how relieved she was, she explained: “Oh, it is amazing. I feel like I can just breathe again. There’s not like the big worry – and even just being able to plan things like there’s not going to be more surgery or treatments.”
Lana will be monitored annually for the next five years and she is now running the Dublin Half Marathon in May.
She had already signed up with her dad before her cancer shock and the inspiring young woman decided to turn her situation into a positive by raising money for the Irish Cancer Society.
Lana and her sister Sadhbh Nolan representing Ballymun Kickhams (Image: Lana Nolan)
Her GoFundMe page has received hundreds of donations and Lana said: “Oh, it has been crazy. I first put the target at €500 and I wasn’t even sure I would hit that. I wasn’t expecting this at all.
“I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone. Everyone’s lives have been affected by cancer in some sort of way and this charity does so much amazing work.”
She added: “I thought it would be nice to have something to… not even work towards because I’m not really allowed to train for it, but just something to be able to do, an accomplishment out of this.”
Lana plays football for her club Ballymun Kickhams and for Dublin City University and she has been out of action all year.
Lana and Des have done running challenges together in the past (Image: Lana Nolan)
Explaining how challenging this has been, she said: “I think I have been playing since I was two or three. I don’t think I’ve ever had more than two weeks off football… ever. That has been one of the hardest parts I would say.”
However, after her successful surgery to remove the cancer, Lana has been told she can start running again on April 16 — and will be allowed to return to her beloved sport at the end of April.
And revealing her excitement, she said: “I can’t wait to play a match! I’ve not played a match in about five months. It is madness. I was at one of the club games last Wednesday and I was just sitting there, every time something good happened I just wanted to be on the pitch.”
Thankfully for Lana, she will be back on the grass doing what she loves soon, and in the meantime, if you want to make a donation to her GoFundMe page, you can do so here.