The Answers for Cancers

This week with talk about fatigue with Occupational Therapist Deirdre Connolly

This week we reflect on some of the treatments Professor Duffy covered in episode 5, we also chat with our friend and colleague Sarah Robinson who is studying further education in Oncology with UCD who shares some of the side effects some of these treatments could have, focusing on the thyroid.

Doctor Duffy is a medical oncologist, researcher and author of ‘This Living and Immortal thing ‘ he completed his undergraduate medicine training in Trinity college in Dublin and has taken the medical field by storm ever since. Cancer is something he is very familiar with , he moved to New York after completing his oncology training in Ireland . He had won a scholarship curtesy of a 200,000 scholarship programme to take up residency at one of the worlds oldest and most renowned cancer centres, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, where he was undertaking research surrounding gastrointestinal cancers. Most recently he is a professor in translational oncology in UCD and has shifted his focus and taken a keen interest in immune based approaches to cancer. And is one of Ireland’s leading experts and researchers in immunotherapy. Today he joins us to explain what immunotherapy is, how it works and how it differs from chemotherapy . We really enjoyed this conversation and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for treating cancer with immunotherapy.

For over 60 years the Roach family have been involved in hair and beauty industry, with a specialisation in wigs and hair pieces. Fergus and Maura Roach recognising the lack of services for people concerned with hair loss , opened their dedicated wig centre in 1986. Their passion for the business was passed down to their daughter Anne Roche. Anne along with her team of expert wig and hair replacement specialists took over in 2006. Since then Roches have helped thousands of women and men experiencing hair loss through cancer feel that little bit more like their normal selves. She speaks to us today about everything from when is the best time in your treatment journey to start thinking about getting a wig and who to bring with you to your first appointment . To shave or not to Shave? and the emotional side of losing your hair . This is a really helpful conversation which we got so many great tips from to share to our patients . We hope you do too .

On this weeks episode of the answers for cancers we are expanding on some of the treatments Dr. Greally discussed in last week's interview. We discuss folfox, folfiri, Capecitabine , avastin, and cetuximab. We used the NCCP guidelines and information from Macmillan to put this episode together. We cover the most common side effects associated with these treatments but your oncology team will go in more detail and be able to answer any other questions you might have. We hope this episode will help you prepare if you are going through any of these treatments. If you have any questions please contact us on Instagram @theanswersforcancers_podcast or on our email [email protected]

Doctor Megan Greally is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Mater Private Hospital, Dublin.

Dr. Megan Greally graduated, MB BCh BAO, from the National University of Ireland, Galway in 2008. She obtained membership of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (MRCPI) in 2011 and completed Higher Specialist Training in Medical Oncology in 2017. During her training she obtained a diploma in Clinical Education at the National University of Ireland, Galway. In 2016 she was the recipient of an ISMO visiting scholar fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre.

We chat with Yvonne O'Meara, Systemic Psychotherapist & Psycho-Social Oncologist. Yvonne has worked in the area of psycho social oncology and palliative care since 2004 in teaching hospitals in Ireland and in North America. She has recently taken up a post at the University College Dublin school of medicine as Women’s Cancer Survivorship Research Coordinator based in the Mater hospital. Yvonne also works in private practice As we say at the top of the episode, talking with Yvonne really opened our eyes to the different relationships and the discussions that happen within those relationships when it comes to Cancer. We learned so much and we hope you do too.

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