Cork cancer campaigner Natasha O’Byrne has died at the age of 26. The beautician, who was originally from Innishannon,​ was diagnosed with bowel cancer when she was just 24. According to the Irish Cancer Society (ICS), bowel cancer is the second most common cancer among men and the third most common among women, with around 2,500 new cases in Ireland each year. Even though it’s less common for younger people to be diagnosed with bowel cancer — about one in 10 diagnoses are in people under 50 — it’s occurring more frequently now. She added: “For that day to come when hopefully nobody gets cancer, organisations like the Irish Cancer Society need funding so they can invest more and more in cancer research.

Source: Irish Examiner December 26, 2025 14:42 UTC