Lisa's Story
“I have come to appreciate that you can live a good quality life with metastatic cancer and that would be my message to anyone reading this.”
First diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, 46-year-old mother of five Lisa McCaffrey has had cancer in her life for over 18 years.
“In 2022, unfortunately my cancer spread to my rib and this time, while it was still treatable, it was incurable. That was obviously very hard to take and still is.
"But with time, I have come to appreciate that you can live a good quality life with metastatic cancer and that would be my message to anyone reading this. Your life doesn’t end when you get that news. Life goes on and there’s a lot to live for.”
Back in 2007, Lisa’s son Jack was just a year-and-a-half when she noticed a lump.
“I was in the GP with Jack and I asked them to take a look at the lump. I was just 28 back then and if I hadn’t been at the doctors with Jack, I probably wouldn’t have gone to have it looked at. Thankfully I did.
"I was referred to the breast clinic and pretty quickly it became clear that yes, I did have breast cancer. Back then, treatment was different. I had four courses of what was known as the ‘red devil’ chemo, underwent a mastectomy and was back on taxol chemo after my surgery. Then I had my radiotherapy. Thankfully, we got the all-clear at that point.”
In 2009, Lisa was advised to have a second mastectomy as a precaution to minimise her risk of recurrence.
“I had been going for regular check-ups after I finished my treatment and they advised me to go for the second mastectomy. That all went well and, thankfully, I was cancer free up until 2014.”
“Following the double mastectomy in 2009, I had breast reconstruction surgery. I wanted to go for the DIEP Flap reconstruction – a type of surgery which uses the patient’s own tissue for breast reconstruction.
"By 2014, I went for this surgery. I was down for 14 hours in total, it should have only taken 7 hours. But it didn’t work out. During this surgery, they spotted something in my chest wall. The DIEP Flap reconstruction didn’t take properly, and they needed to put me back down for another 5 hours to fix things. I was back for more cancer treatment to deal with this spread to my chest wall.”
Lisa’s second cancer treatment presented more challenges for her young family.
"“The children were older by this point. My eldest Jordan was 16, Mark was 14, Kayleigh was 10, Jack was 8 and Adam was going 5 in the November.
"Managing treatment with the kids and trying to keep life as normal as possible for them was challenging but we coped. My husband Leo and my family were a huge support."
"My children had more questions this time. I remember them coming home from school saying other children were talking about their mam being bald. That was tough on them and hard for me to take too.
"Chemotherapy the second time was just as hard. You are doing it in three-week cycles. The first week, you feel awful. Second week, you’re getting a bit back to normal. And the third week, you’re flying, but then you have to repeat that all over again.”
In 2015, Lisa finished up her treatment for her second cancer diagnosis.
“There was a scare in 2016 when something showed up on my lung. That turned out to be sarcoidosis – a different condition that can mimic cancer. From then on in 2016, right through to 2022 all was good. I was in and out for my regular six-monthly check-ups.
"Unfortunately, in 2022, they spotted that my cancer had spread and this time, my cancer was metastatic. I have been through more treatment, and because my cancer was ER+, I had my ovaries removed.
"I have had further rounds of chemotherapy, I am in for regular injections and take oral medication. I have to thank my medical team, my doctors and nurses over the years who have looked after me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”
“But life goes on and I am delighted to be able to continue spending time with my children, family and loves ones. I’d be lost without football as well. Cancer hasn’t stopped me from being on the sidelines of as many Galway Hibernians matches as I can. I’m chair of the club now, and I sometimes dress up as a mascot, Terry the Tiger, which we get on loan from Galway United for special occasions. I absolutely love it.”
Throughout her cancer experience, Lisa has availed of support from the Irish Cancer Society.
“Coping financially with one income effectively and a young family was very hard. The nurses in the Daffodil Centre in Galway were hugely helpful and just supported me with some of the supports and entitlements we could avail of. They offered me free counselling, which was a great help.
"The Irish Cancer Society has been an amazing help, but so have some of the other organisations. I’d really encourage anybody going through cancer to reach out to the Irish Cancer Society or your local cancer support centre. You mightn’t even realise the supports they have until you reach out.
"Also, over the years, as a family or with friends and neigbours we have done so many little fundraisers to help out and raise funds for cancer charities. Cancer touches so many lives in Ireland, it’s knocked on every family’s door and if you are in a position to help out, I’d please ask you to do it. It’s people like me and families like mine you are ultimately helping.”
