Double cancer survivor (16) gets on-air surprise
A Cork teenager who beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma twice got a lovely surprise live on air recently when he was invited for a day on the road with the National Ambulance Service.
Sixteen year old Dylan Punch, a student at Coláiste Éamann Rís, spoke on Cork’s 96FM's 'The Opinion Line' with host Paul Byrne recently to share his emotional journey.
An aspiring paramedic himself, Dylan first fell ill in early 2024, suffering severe fatigue and weight loss following a bout of Covid-19. Left frustrated after numerous visits to a GP and CUH brought no diagnosis for his symptoms, Dylan’s mum Elaine Healy took matters into her own hands.
She said on the show on Monday: “He went to CUH two or three times. Still nothing. So then one day he got very sick again, so I brought him to my GP and I said, ‘I am not moving him unless you sort my child out’.
“I knew there was something wrong with him.”
It was only shortly after that, that Dylan was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
After undergoing rounds of chemotherapy, Dylan was initially declared cancer-free in August 2024, only to suffer a relapse just months later in November. His battle required intensive stem-cell re-harvesting and treatment at Crumlin Children’s Hospital, supported every step of the way by his devoted mother.
Dylan kept his final all-clear under wraps until his school prom. In a moving moment captured on video, his schoolmate Marcus announced the news to a room of cheering classmates before Dylan rang the school’s bell to signal the end of his fight.
A dream realised
During the broadcast on 'The Opinion Line', Dylan revealed his dream of becoming a paramedic after being inspired by the medical crews who cared for him during his hospital travels.
Listening into the show, Ger O'Dea of the National Ambulance Service decided to step in live on air, surprising Dylan and his mother with a full day’s tour of local ambulance stations and emergency vehicles.
Mr O’Dea said: “It's an unbelievable story and a great success story. We're delighted to hear it.”
A big part of Mr O’Dea’s job is to transport sick children and teenagers to hospitals, but he said he often doesn’t get to hear about their outcome.
He continued: “To hear Dylan's story is absolutely brilliant. Great success. And the fact, even better, that he wants to be a paramedic. I'm out and about today for a few hours out of the office, so, I'd like to take Dylan with me in the car for a little while if he's interested.”
“Well, he's just after making Dylan's day now,” Elaine replied.
Also joining the show via telephone, Coláiste Éamann Rís principal, Aaron Wolfe paid tribute to the young man's resilience. He said: “What an inspiration Dylan is to anyone fighting cancer. He’s a great, caring young man, and if he puts his head down, he will become a fantastic paramedic.”