Síle's Story
“It’s something that we have no control over but I strongly encourage my daughter and friends and colleagues to listen to their bodies and use screening like BreastCheck.”
Síle Nic Suibhne, 61, grew up in Donegal and now lives in Sligo. Following surgery and radiotherapy treatment in 2015, Síle survived breast cancer.
One of eight children, Síle has lost three siblings to cancer over the years.
Her brother Charlie died in 1989 from lung cancer, just five months after being diagnosed. Sile’s older sister Kathleen was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and went through treatment including chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy twice. Kathleen, Síle says, used the Donegal flight service to Dublin, which was a lifeline for her during her treatment.
After living in Dublin for a time, Kathleen moved back to Donegal to take care of her parents and one of her sisters. Kathleen passed away in 2019 from breast cancer.
Sadie, another sister, had been ill with heart failure which masked the symptoms of cancer. By the time her cancer was diagnosed, it had spread and Sadie died a short time later, to the shock and sadness of her family.
Another brother, John, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2016. He had intensive treatment in Galway, and survived.
Síle’s family also availed of the Irish Cancer Society’s Night Nursing service when her mum passed away. Night Nurses provide free care during the night to people at end-of-life, to allow them to die in the comfort of their own home.
“Night Nurses are incredible. They don’t just prepare the person, but they help to prepare the family too for loss and mourning.”
Having lost three of her beloved siblings to cancer, Síle said it was very hard to tell her own children and her remaining siblings about her own diagnosis. She encourages people to reach out to the Irish Cancer Society and to use the services and support on offer.
“I was somewhat reluctant to reach out to the services. You think, I’ll leave that to somebody who needs it. There’s people who are worse than I am. But that’s what the services are there for. Don’t be a martyr, reach out. Supports are not just for the person going through the treatment but for people around them who are affected too, like their siblings and family members.”
Síle also says that she feels guilty that cancer is in her family and she worries about passing it on to her own children.
“It’s something that we have no control over but I strongly encourage my daughter and friends and colleagues to listen to their bodies and use screening like BreastCheck.”
It was because of her sister Kathleen’s diagnosis that Síle had a mammogram. “I had absolutely no symptoms whatsoever and wasn’t one bit daunted to get it done,” Síle said. “I was at the peak of my health when I was diagnosed in 2015. I was running, I was active, I was into fitness. A few weeks later I received a call back. They told me I had lobular breast cancer.”
Doctors told Síle that she was fortunate as usually that type of cancer is hard to pick up. She was told about it in March, in April had her surgery and, following that, had radiotherapy.
“It was a whirlwind,” Síle said. “You’re on the wheel and you can’t come off.”
The tragedy that Síle has experienced within her family has given her a good perspective on life and living it. Síle is a SNA at Cnoc na Ré Gaelscoil and is a member of Sligo dragon boat racing club, Medb’s Dragon Warriors.
“I live my life for me. I travel whenever I can. My family jokes that I must have shares in the airline now. I love to do things that are positive for me and give me a good feeling. I don’t look back. Éist le do chorp agus lorg cuidiú má tá sé uait.”
