Mairead Carney from Clane, Kildare says her own experience with cancer first began in 2016.

“My doctor noticed I had a goitre or swelling on my thyroid. I had been experiencing symptoms of tiredness and fatigue, but we didn’t know what the cause was. I ended up having surgery on my thyroid in 2017, where three quarters of my thyroid was removed. It was biopsied and found to be non-cancerous.

“I found the recovery post-op really difficult; I had more blood tests and they showed my white cell markers were very high. My doctor was concerned and referred me to the hospital for an ultrasound and full check-up.

“We were due to go on a family holiday to California that same week and while I was waiting for my results, I checked us in for our flights, I thought I would be given anti-biotics and told to mind myself.

“However, when the consultant got my results, they weren’t what I thought. The consultant told me there was a 10cm by 6cm mass on the top of my right kidney, and he was almost sure that it was cancerous. 

“I was on my own as hadn’t expected to hear any serious diagnosis. I just went into shock and had a bit of a meltdown in the car on the way home. I had two kids, aged 10 and 7 at that time. I did not know how we were going to tell them this news. We were also due to fly to California the next day. . 

“I had to pull myself together. It was difficult to tell them the news about the scan results and also the cancelled trip. My main priority, at that stage was to get the tumour removed from my body. I just wanted it gone. 

“Three weeks later I had my surgery. I was nervous as I didn’t know what they would find when they opened me up, or how much it had spread.”

“I had an open surgery to remove my kidney and adrenal gland. They thought they had got everything they could see.  Afterwards, I was kept under surveillance. I was recovering well, but then a few months later, while we were on holiday in Portugal, I began to bleed. Initially I thought it could just be my period, but it seemed to be coming from an unusual place. I called my GP and she said as soon as I was home, to come back into her.

“They ended up finding a mass in my vaginal wall. I was booked in for more surgery.  At this stage, I was diagnosed with stage 4, metastatic renal cell cancer. Post operation, I continued in monitoring and surveillance. 

“This surveillance later picked up tumours in my lungs and a thickening of my cervix. At the time, there was a clinical trial taking place and I opted to take part in it. It was a computer randomised selection for a new immunotherapy drug. I was selected for the original oral chemotherapy drug which I proceeded to take.  I had a terrible reaction to the drug and had to come off it after 4 or 5 months

“During this time, my sister had been doing lots of research. She lives out in California and had heard about this new immunotherapy drug. I ended up requesting a meeting with my consultant and asking about it, I was told I would be eligible for it.

“I started the immunotherapy not long after that.  After 6 months, we began to see tremendous results, with no major side effects. I felt I was able to live a relatively normal life again.

 “While on this treatment, the doctors continued to be concerned about the thickening of my cervix, so in 2020, I had a total hysterectomy. This was my 4th surgery.

“In January 2022, after 39 infusions, lasting three years, and three months, I finished up the immunotherapy treatment. 

“Early on in my cancer diagnosis, I had called into the Daffodil Centre in Tallaght Hospital and met with the Daffodil nurse. We sat together and chatted, and she told me about my local support centre. This was the Cuisle Cancer Support Centre, in Portlaoise which is supported by Irish Cancer Society funding. They offered a complete suite of services for both me and my family, including cancer counselling, reflexology, and support in living a life with and beyond cancer. It was so helpful.”

“I now just go into the hospital for check-ups every four months. When I was diagnosed first, I would have had an 8% chance of surviving for 5 years or more. But because of this treatment, I have beaten those odds, I am 2 full years cancer free, doing really well and feeling great.”

On advice she would give to others, she says: “I encourage people to reach out, don’t bottle it all up or try handle it on your own. The support services are so vital, they make you feel warm and safe.  I am so grateful that I have such a great husband and family. They also had so much to deal with. It was so important to have somewhere where I could just let it out and learn and see from other cancer patients and survivors. 

“A cancer diagnosis is so frightening, and it can be difficult to see a future. It’s so important to try keep some hope if you can, to not let cancer get in the way of what you want. I always have to have something to plan and look forward to. You might have to adapt how you do things, but you should still do it. There is still a life with and after a cancer diagnosis”.