6 inspirational stories from our mums that deserved to be shared again
This year, as part of our Mums Who Inspire series, MagicMum got to sit down with a lot of inspirational women, all of whom have incredible stories of determination and love to share.
From dealing with diagnoses of cancer to watching children die in their arms, each and every mum that we spoke to left a huge impression on us.
With more than 30 inspiring stories in our series, we couldn't include them all in the below list – so here are six that really stood out for us.
If you have a story to share or know someone who does, please email mumswhoinspire@magicmum.com
1. Gina O'Callaghan
Three years ago, Gina O'Callaghan was given just five years to live. When we spoke with her, the 43-year-old shared a spine-tingling story of determination and how making the choice to care for her body has helped her be the person she is today.
"The doctor came in, pulled the curtain and said 'you have cancer'. My world crashed. It was an out of body experience. I was a healthy person."
Read her full story here.
2. Lindsay Peat
A sports fanatic since she was a young teen growing up in Artane, Co. Dublin, mum-of-one Lindsay Peat has far outdone herself in all aspects of life. Mum to Barra and wife to Claire, she has played sports her entire life, and now, in her late thirties, Lindsay got to represent Ireland in the Rugby World Cup. However, things have not been easy for the mum-of-one; Barra was born three months premature and was diagnosed with viral meningitis within the first year of life. Lindsay's story is full of love and determination.
Read her full story here.
3. Orla Freeman
Mayo mum Orla Freeman is married to Shane and has three boys: Ruairi , seven, Darragh, five, and two-and-a-half-year-old Eoghan. A happy family, Orla's life changed when her youngest son failed the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening test. MagicMum sat down with Orla, who blogs at Our Own Journey, to share her family's incredible journey as part of our series.
Read her full story here.
4. Adrian Wood
Mum to three perfectly healthy children, Adrian Wood decided that one more baba would complete the family, and so Amos was born. However, something wasn't right, and Adrian and her husband would soon learn that their youngest child has autism. Speaking to MagicMum, Adrian gave us an insight into being a mum to a child with special needs.
Read her full story here.
5. Carina Conyngham
As part of our Mums Who Inspire series, we sat down with mum-of-three, Carina Conyngham, whose daughter, Laragh, has Rett Syndrome, a condition that has been diagnosed in just 70 children in Ireland. Carina's story is about fighting for her daughter and trying to raise awareness of a condition that so few know about
Read her full story here.
6. Dr Suzanne O'Connell
Dr Suzanne O’Connell moved to Moldova sixteen years, after finding her calling in an orphanage for disabled children. Her inspirational story is full of compassion and determination, as she modestly talks about setting up Outreach Moldova, a charity that provides human rights, medical care and social inclusion to children that have been abandoned or orphaned, have special needs or are terminal illnesses in the Republic of Moldova.
Read her full story here.