Cancer-battling drummer Adam takes centre stage at weekend gig in his honour
Adam Nagajek is known as ‘Man of Steel’ to his mates. Not because of the prosthesis in his leg, and metal in his thigh — war-wounds from childhood cancer treatment. They call Adam that because the talented drummer is so tough.
“He doesn’t give up, no matter what,” says his mother, Ola.
The Renmore native, with Polish parents, has been under general anaesthetic 11 times in his 17 years of life.
Adam’s first operation came after his diagnosis, aged nine, of Osteosarcoma, a bone cancer in his legs and femur.
Surgery to remove bone, plus chemotherapy, worked. But it robbed him of his first love — playing soccer, including with Renmore AFC.
Adam then started playing drums, which helped to release energy.
It turned out he was pretty good at it. A self-taught drummer with local band Talllon, last year he was a finalist in the Young Drummer of the Year competition.
That was a highlight of 2024, the year his cancer returned.
Adam, who is going into Leaving Cert in Clarin College Athenry, was discharged from Crumlin Hospital in April of last year, his six-years cancer-free milestone.
But in early October, Adam suffered late relapse and was diagnosed with the same cancer, this time in his lung.
Adam had open surgery at UHG in November, to remove a lower lobe of the lung, and was back home in Renmore drumming three days later.
“Three weeks later he played a gig in Ol’ 55 Bar (in Prospect Hill, Galway),” says Ola.
Last March, Adam started immunotherapy cancer treatment, but soon he felt back and chest pains.
“Towards the end of May, he became fully paralysed overnight and lost feeling in his legs. There was a new tumour on his spine, suppressing his spinal cord,” says Ola.
Adam had emergency surgery but was “paralysed from the chest down”, she says.
Doctors thought there might be a miracle when some movement returned to his toes. But overnight he lost power completely and needed more surgery — a second operation within three weeks because the tumour grew back and radiotherapy wasn’t effective.
In late July, Ola says Adam was told the tumour grew back again after the second surgery. It was inoperable.
“We are home four weeks this Thursday, under the care of Galway Hospice,” she says.
“He’s full of hope, keeping spirits up,” she adds.
It all happened so quickly. One day Adam was in town, sitting his Driver Theory test to get his learner permit; a day later he was paralysed.
Ola says the home team at Galway Hospice are managing pain, and Adam is open to alternative treatments.
“If there’s anyone who could help us look into it, we could try internationally for drugs in the early ages of a trial to stop the tumour from growing. At the moment it’s really big, it’s growing fast, it’s pressing on his lung, and surgery is not an option,” she says.
Adam remains positive and still loves music — playing, recording, and producing on his laptop.
This Sunday, he plans to join Talllon bandmates at a gig they have organised in his honour at The Róisín Dubh.
The quartet met at School of Rock summer camp several years ago and practised their alternative rock music together every Friday until Adam’s recent relapse.
The other band members are Liam Carroll (vocals and guitar), from Moycullen and St Enda’s College; Cian Geraghty (bass), from Oranmore and Calasanctius College; and Ultan Krause (guitar), from Kinvara and Seamount College.
Adam’s stepbrother Peter will travel from Poland for the ‘Man of Steel Festival’ gig for all ages, and lasting all day, this Sunday from 2pm-9pm.
With 12 acts, the organisers thanked sponsors The Róisín Dubh, Music Generation Galway City, Steeltech Sheds, Oscar’s Kids Ireland, Magnetti’s, as well as Galway arts community and volunteers.
Adam’s parents Ola and Greg, in Ireland for 21 years, remain positive.
“We have to be strong for Adam – he’s such an inspiration, he’s amazing. It’s really devastating for the whole family, but we have to keep our spirits up and we have to believe that there is hope. We have loads of people praying and supporting us,” says Ola.
■ Tickets costing €18 for the gig this Sunday, August 31, are still available by Googling Man of Steel Festival at The Róisín Dubh or phoning 086-1013622 or on the doors. People who want to support Adam but not attend the gig can do so at idonate https://www.idonate.ie/crowd funder/OlaNagajek
Pictured: Adam Nagajek: Took up drumming when he could no longer play soccer.