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.”