Philip Hannigan

Emma Hannigan’s father reflects on his beloved daughter

It must be a hard irony for Philip Hannigan that his daughter, the author Emma Hannigan, has become such an admired figure. She died a year ago, after a long struggle with cancer, and her dignity in the face of death made her a powerful symbol: someone whose existence is a shining example of an unbreakable human spirit.

But as soft-spoken Dubliner Philip says, “Being honest, I wish she wasn’t such an inspirational figure! We’d sooner have her here. But no, her positive attitude has helped us to carry on, absolutely, and she really has been a huge inspiration to others in this situation.”

Of course, Emma wasn’t just a heroic figure to her family: for Philip, his wife Denise, their son Timmy and Emma’s own family – husband Cian and children Sacha and Kim – she was daughter, sister, wife, mother and much more.

They were all “devastated emotionally,” Philip goes on, “but we have to try and put that aside, get her last book out and raise as much money as we can for cancer research. Our job is to finish what Emma started. That’s the mission.”

Emma’s new book, The Gift of Friends, has just been released: a warm, moving story of four pals and neighbours, who learn to lean on one another as they navigate life’s trials.

Normally, a book launch is an occasion of pride for the author’s loved ones. But, as Philip points out, “Unfortunately, it’s her last one. That’s the peaks and lows of life, I suppose. And it’s an opportunity for us to try and help other people not get this disease. Those two things are linked together. She can’t do it, so we have to.”

To mark the publication of The Gift of Friends, the family are working with Breast Cancer Ireland on a new fundraising drive. This time last year, aware the end was in sight, Emma launched a social media campaign, #HelpEmmaHelpOthers, which raised over €135,000 in just a few weeks. That money was used to establish the Emma Hannigan Breast Cancer Research Fellowship Award in her honour. The first recipient is Dr Damir Varislija from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), who is using the opportunity the Fund gave him to do cutting-edge research on secondary cancers.

Now, to raise funds for further research, as well as breast health and education, BCI are calling on the public to carry on Emma’s fight. Text CURE to 50300 to make a €4 donation, or visit breastcancerireland.com.

Emma Hannigan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. She had the BRCA1 gene, which greatly increases the risk of developing the disease. As Philip explains, there’s a history of breast cancer in his wife’s family: “My wife was one of eight girls and a boy, and of the girls, two died from breast cancer and another two survived it. The medical people did a DNA test and discovered the BRCA1 gene. My wife tested positive for it but didn’t get cancer.

“Then the next generation was tested and Emma discovered she had the gene. She was married, had two children and everything else was grand, so she determined to have a mastectomy. That reduced her odds from very high to low, but a year later, she got the disease.”

The family was surprised, Philip recalls, because Emma’s risk had reduced from 80% to 5%. But, he says “funnily enough, Emma wasn’t surprised. She had this sense it was going to happen. The pre-emptive strike didn’t work. There’s no getting around these genetic things sometimes.

“And at least she could look in the mirror and say, I did everything in my power to stop it. We all look back with regrets, but Emma did everything she could – it just didn’t work for her.”

Her courage and good cheer were indomitable. “She was very brave, yes,” Philip says. “She was driven. To use her own words, you cope with getting cancer – you never battle with it really, you just cope. And Emma was able to put it to one side, compartmentalise it; not ignore it, but she didn’t let it get her down. It depressed her and upset her, but she didn’t let cancer rule her life. “Emma always tried to focus on what was good in life. That makes things a bit better. Emma was upbeat because she knew that all cancers will be cured eventually – we’ve seen the research, this will happen – but she just ran out of time before they found the answer to her problem.

“She was conscious of the effect of her behaviour on us, on everyone. So she remained positive, but was also reaching out to the public, to say, ‘Don’t give up, hang in there – there will be a cure.’”

She was “a lovely kid”, Philip remembers, “a real joy to her parents. She very rarely got into trouble, and when she did, managed to keep it from us! She tried a lot of things from a career point of view, and if something didn’t work out, she’d stop and try something else.

“As for writing; when she got cancer, chemotherapy is very boring, so she began to think and write. It was a good escape for her. Then the author, Cathy Kelly, Emma’s friend, basically talked a full manuscript out of her, telling her: ‘You have a voice.’”

It’s a voice that continues to resound with many thousands of people.

Our job is to finish what Emma started. That’s the mission