Cancer Diagnosis: Emotional Impact & Coping Strategies
Here’s a summary of Declan Costello’s story, based on the provided text:
Declan Costello, a 60-year-old father of two from Rush, Co Dublin, received a Stage Four lung cancer diagnosis after experiencing a persistent cough that began while working as Santa in galway in December 2024.
Timeline of Events:
* December 2024: Costello worked as Santa in Galway and developed a “bad cough.”
* Late December 2024/Early January 2025: The cough worsened, forcing him to stop working and return home. Initial GP visit resulted in cough medicine, which proved ineffective. He also began losing his appetite.
* January 2025: Returned to his GP, who immediately ordered tests based on a previous note in his file.
* Following Tests: Tests at Beaumont Hospital revealed a lung tumor that had metastasized to his liver (Stage Four lung cancer). He was initially given a prognosis of 6-12 months.
* March 2025: Began immunotherapy treatment at Beaumont hospital, led by Dr. Jarushka Naidoo, every three weeks.
* June 2025: A scan showed tumors had shrunk by 2.5cm.
* Recent Scan: Further reduction in the liver tumor, with the lung mass remaining stable.
Key Points:
* Initial Symptoms: Persistent cough, loss of appetite, weight loss (over three stone).
* Treatment: Immunotherapy – a treatment that activates the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
* Positive Response: Costello is responding well to the immunotherapy, with important tumor reduction.
* Attitude: Despite the grim initial diagnosis, Costello adopted a persistent mindset, stating, “I’m going to get better, and I’ll fight this.” He believes “The comeback is stronger than the setback.”