Deirdre regularly went for long walks, runs and even hill-climbing but soon after Covid hit she began to notice a difference in her breathing “I was working in Sligo University Hospital and wearing a mask all the time, so initially I put my shortness of breath down to that. I also had asthma since I was a child so I factored this in too.”

Then in August 2020 Deirdre began noticing a change in her running capabilities “It was taking me much longer to complete a 5KM run and I would be feeling extremely out of breath afterwards, which wasn’t normal for me. I was also more fatigued than usual.” She recalls.
 

In February of 2021 Deirdre went to see her GP and was booked in for pulmonary function tests and a chest x-ray “That evening after more investigations I was diagnosed with lung cancer. It was my 52nd birthday.  I was totally shocked, only two days earlier I had climbed a mountain with my family for St. Patricks Day.”

As a result of progressions within cancer research, consultants are now able to identify the type of lung cancer a person may have from their tumour markers. Following this analysis, Deirdre was put on a treatment plan of daily oral targeted therapy. 

In May 2022 however, Deirdre suffered a stroke “This has slowed me down considerably, at the moment I cannot walk for longer than about ten minutes twice a day.”

Despite these challenges when Deirdre saw an advert online for the Marathon in a Month fundraiser, she was excited to be involved “My son held a bake sale on Daffodil Day and raised over €1,000 so I thought this was something I could get involved with. I typically did a big run in August every year, so traditionally July was always dedicated to training. Even if we were abroad I would get up at 6am before it got too hot and run 10KM.

I thought to myself, okay there are 31 days in July and I have 42KMS to complete. So I am slowly increasing my speed each day and I hope to get it finished by the end of the month. My friends and family have been taking part in the ten minute walks with me each day. I joke that instead of ‘Climb with Charlie’, my version is ‘Walk with Deirdre’!” or as a friend suggested recently “Dawdle with Deirdre” She laughs.

On reflecting on her own experience, Deirdre offers some advice to others “When I was first diagnosed I wasn’t telling many other people about my cancer. Eventually however, more and more people began to find out about my diagnosis. Initially it bothered me but then I realised that it was a positive thing that other people knew, I felt like I could feel all the support around me in the community. People want to help you.

In my spare time I have been writing my own book, it is called ‘…but ya look great’. I used get quite defensive when people would tell me I look great, on the inside I felt so sick but I now I am in a better place with it all. I now thank them for saying it, and accept the lovely compliment I have been given.”

For more information on Marathon in a Month, kindly supported by ALDI Ireland, visit: https://marathoninamonth.cancer.ie/