At 46, Sinéad wasn’t overly concerned about her persistent cough. If anything, it was more embarrassing than worrying! However, when two people – in very different ways – encouraged her to get it checked, she realised she needed to do something about it.

“It’s hard to remember when my cough started; no-one marks it on the calendar!

“I think I had been coughing for a couple of months. It felt never ending but I was never ill with it. After a while, I became quite embarrassed by it. I remember teaching an accounting course to some adult students and apologising for coughing during the class, explaining that it wasn’t covid.

“Then, two things happened on the same day. A colleague was really forthright with me. He told me how bad the cough was and that I needed to do something about it. His directness shocked me, but I will always be grateful for it. I needed someone else to prompt me to look after my own health. 

“Later that same day, I went on a run with a friend who is recovering from breast cancer. She was really candid about her experience and spoke about the importance of getting things checked out. 

“The next morning, I called the doctor. 

The penny dropped…

“I just expected to get some antibiotics but when I was describing my symptoms to the doctor I

said, “I’m coughing like I have a chest infection, but I feel fine“. The minute I articulated that, I realised that it was odd. We should feel unwell with a chest infection, and I didn’t. I also made sure I was really clear that the cough had gone on for a long time.

The doctor referred me for a chest x-ray that evening. That was a Wednesday. I had a phone call on the Thursday to say that they found a shadow on my lung. On Friday 7th July, just over three weeks after I first spoke to the doctor, I was told I had lung cancer.

“At that same appointment, I was told that a mid-right lobectomy was recommended. I then had surgery on Thursday 3rd August.

“It has been a whirlwind, but it gave me time to reflect on the important things.  My family and friends have been amazing, and I feel fortunate. 

“I also feel lucky that I went to the doctor when I did. The cancer has been caught relatively early (stage 2b) so it was operable. I feel indebted to my colleague who was so direct with me about my cough and my friend from my running club who shared her experience with me. Without them, I would not have gone to the doctor so quickly, so it could have been so much worse.

Looking to the future

“I’m currently waiting to find out if I need further treatment. I want to get back to work. I realise how fortunate I am to have a job that I miss so much. I miss my colleagues and students and the feeling of being useful.  Sick leave is boring! 

“I want to finish climbing the Wainwright Mountains in Cumbria. I am part way ticking off climbing its 214 peaks. I used to run up them, and one day I will do so again. 

“Most of all, I just want to spend time with my family and see my girls grow up and build their own happy lives and enjoy their achievements.”