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In collaboration with public and patient involvement (PPI), Niamh Dillon, and Emer Mulvaney, and in support of Breakthrough Cancer Research, we are honoured to present a patient panel to discuss the involvement of patients in cancer research projects:
Martin Sweeney
Martin sits on the Genitourinary DSSG. He has been a member of the Patient Consultant’s Committee in Cancer Trials Ireland since 2023. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2015. Martin is currently undertaking a Patient-led research project looking at sexual wellbeing for patients and their partners after prostate cancer treatment.
Miriam Staunton
Miriam is a married mom of 3 and an engineer by profession. She was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma in February 2018 and progressed to stage 4 in Feb 2019. After undergoing 4 years of treatments (surgery, immunotherapy and radiation) her scans now show no sign of disease. Miriam sits on the Melanoma DSSG. She has been a member of the Patient Consultants Committee in Cancer Trials Ireland since 2023. Miriam is focussed on improving access to clinical trials and best in class treatments for melanoma patients in Ireland.
Patrick Kivlehan, Chair of Patients Consultants Committee
Patrick chairs the Patients Consultants Committee and sits on the Lymph & Haem DSSG. He was diagnosed with CLL in October 2011 and underwent treatment with FCR with limited success. He participated in a clinical trial in St James Hospital (2013 to 2018) and achieved remission in 2016. He first became involved with Cancer Trials Ireland in 2018, joining the PCC the same year.
Jacqueline Daly
Jacqueline sits on the Genitourinary DSSG. She has been a member of the Patient Consultant’s Committee in Cancer Trials Ireland since 2023. She is the Director of Services and co-founder of the East Galway & Midlands Cancer Support Centre. A former cancer patient herself, Jacqueline has transformed her personal experience into a lifelong commitment to supporting others affected by cancer. She is a partner of a patient with prostate cancer and they have contributed their lived experience in helping to design the partner arm of the PRO-ACT study.
Gillian Costelloe
Gill is from Dublin and has worked in the Public Service for over twenty years in the areas of Sport and Government Shared Services. She was diagnosed with stage 1 malignant melanoma in 2016. Gill’s melanoma progressed to stage 4 in 2021 with metastases in six different areas. Under the care of Professor John Crown, she commenced on a clinical trial, however this treatment was not successful and she was moved to targeted therapy which she is still on today. Her most recent PET scan has shown no evidence of active disease, a milestone which she never thought possible. Gill has recently joined the Patient Consultants Committee in Cancer Trials Ireland and sits on the Melanoma DSSG. Gill wants to improve information for people newly diagnosed with cancer who may not be aware of clinical trials or understand the benefits of them. Gill also has a keen interest in technology and how it can support patients in participating in clinical trials.