Aileen Murphy was due to go away on holidays in August 2019 when she found a lump in her breast. “The initial reaction is to take your hand away and pretend you didn’t find it,” she says. “But I was only going away for a week and I said I’ll deal with that when I come back.”
"I was living in Cork at the time and once I got home, I decided I needed to get this checked out."
She was given an ultrasound and recalls that the radiologist “went really quiet and said ‘Aileen, I’m really sorry but I don’t like the look of this’. I asked her if she meant cancer and she said ‘yes’.”
Aileen went to CUH for assessment and that same day received her diagnosis of grade 3, stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma. “It was a whirlwind,” she says. “I had gone from having coffee at my desk in work to being told I had cancer a short time later. You go on autopilot because you’re in shock and it all feels very surreal - it’s never going to happen to you, and back then when I was working in BreastCheck, it certainly wasn’t going to happen to me.”
Aileen moved back to her hometown of Limerick She had surgery in September 2019, where she had a wide local excision and total auxiliary clearance. She began chemotherapy in October and had 16 sessions, which was then followed by 23 sessions of radiotherapy.
Her treatment straddled the pandemic so while her mother could accompany her to her chemotherapy sessions, restrictions meant that she had to have radiotherapy alone, which she found very difficult. In contrast, she had a better experience with chemotherapy, chatting to other patients and not just about cancer. “We’d often be roaring laughing and the staff said it gave them great heart to hear us.”
In June 2020, her consultant asked if she would consider taking part in a clinical trial. She agreed, staring the trial in September 2020 and it’s a decision she’s glad she made. “Taking part in a trial feels like you're giving back, making something positive happen out of the illness,” she says, adding that it also gave her a feeling of security. “It was great because you really feel protected. It’s scary when you’re finished treatment and you’ve gone from having so many appointments and your life revolving around hospital to not having any at all. I meet my trial nurse every month so if I have any concerns, they follow up on it. Just knowing that you’re being constantly monitored and if there’s anything out of the ordinary, you’re still in the oncology system, that people in the know are checking you.”
"If you ever have any doubts about going for your Breast Check appointment, or any health checks at all, please, just go and get checked."
She is full of praise for the Cancer Trials team in Limerick. “They’re so kind, they’re so full of empathy and they make you feel like you’re the only person doing a trial there.”
One of the most difficult parts of her treatment was when she was asked if she wanted to freeze her eggs, aged 45. “I’d always wanted children and unfortunately life didn’t go that way. I had considered fostering and adoption and it was never off the table. When I was presented with this question ‘do you want to freeze your eggs?’, this is your last chance, and I had to make a decision as to what I was going to do.”
She decided against doing so for several reasons. “It was horrible, it’s gut wrenching and it’s heartbreaking. It’s a dream that’s gone forever,” she says.
Following her diagnosis, she has made several big life changes including leaving Cork for Limerick and transferring out of BreastCheck to a different role in the HSE. She has also joined the Limerick Dragons, the dragon boat club for people after cancer, friends and supporters. During her treatment, Aileen used the Irish Cancer Society’s Volunteer Driver service.
“It was absolutely fantastic and I’ve recommended it to so many people,” she says. “The drivers are amazing and it was invaluable.” She found that talking to people helped her enormously on her cancer journey.
“Talk to a psychologist but also talk to your friends, talk to family, let them know how you feel,” she advises.
Another thing that buoyed her was treating herself after each chemo session. She also visited Limerick’s Mid-Western Cancer Foundation and availed of some of the supports and classes available there, including reflexology and Indian head massage.
“I could take off my hat and be bald in the yoga classes without feeling uncomfortable,” she says. “You can just be you.” And she would recommend taking part in a clinical trial if the opportunity is there.
“You know that what they’re trialling on you can benefit other people and that’s brilliant,” she says. “You don’t know what positive effect it will have on other people down the line.”
The Irish Cancer Society has invested millions of euro into clinical trials since 2012. Clinical trials offer hope for a better future for patients by bringing amazing progress in medical treatments. The Irish Cancer Society is proud to further their commitment to Cancer Trials Ireland by providing €3 million of further funding over the next three years. This funding will help bring and start more trials right here in Ireland.
Aileen is supporting the Irish Cancer Society's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and encouraging the public to host a Big Pink Breakfast to help fund of vital cancer support services and life-changing research projects. 💗To get involved, visit: www.cancer.ie/pinkbreakfast
