Sarah Slater
Cervical cancer campaigner and patient advocate Vicky Phelan, who is in the US in a bid to prolong her life, has been told by doctors that her first scan since starting her new treatment is holding her disease at bay.
The Kilkenny native and Mum-of-two, who now lives in Limerick, flew out to Maryland in January to prepare for the clinical trial and has experienced some rough side effects since starting her treatment.
A check-up last October confirmed her cancer was growing, and she had developed a new tumour in one of her lungs so new drugs were needed.
Ms Phelan, who has been using immunotherapy drug Pembrolizumab, said the forthcoming US trial of the drug M7824, which is being directed by Dr Julius Strauss at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in Maryland, has already shown some positive markers.
Her first scan since the start of the treatment was carried out last Tuesday to see if there has been an effect on her tumours. She revealed her good news at the end of national Daffodil Day, a national fundraising drive to raise money for the cancer charity.
The courageous woman, who attends the hospital as an out-patient every two weeks, said she had no new tumours, three cancerous tumours had shrunk slightly and one had increased minimally which she is pleased with as the medication treatment she is receiving is not the full amount.
Taking to her social media accounts, she happily posted her first update since Tuesday, with tens of thousands of people reacting to her good news.
Good news
She said: “In good news, results from my CT scan show no new tumours and while there was a slight increase in one tumour, there were mild decreases in three other tumours so it all balances itself out. The overall impression by the radiologist in my report was there is no significant change to my disease status.
“That is all good at this stage of the disease. Stability is good particularly when I have only been able to have half the dose I should be on. Once I get to a point in the next few weeks where I am on the full dose, I fully believe that I will start seeing tumours shrink. So, it is onwards and upwards from here….”
Ms Phelan also said that she did not succumb to endless vomiting from her most recent round of treatment due to a new antipsychotic drug used to help alleviate her nausea having worked.
She added: “(I’ve) not vomited once. It looks like my body is finally beginning to adjust to the meds (medication) and that we have landed on a combination of anti-sickness meds that is working for me.
“Thank you all for your continued support. It really means a lot to me, and to my family.”
The brave woman revealed the new anti-nausea medication was making her “very groggy and tired” but that she would, “take that any day over endless days of vomiting”.
Ms Phelan went on to explain that she will be busy over the weekend as she will be moving from her Airbnb apartment as the lease on the Maryland premises runs out on Wednesday.
She will be moving to Oldtown, in Virginia closer to the friends she has made there. A stay of at least six months for the Kilkenny woman will be needed as her treatment continues.
In 2018, the 46-year-old gave voice to those who had been suffering in silence, as it emerged that more than 220 women with cervical cancer had initially been given the all-clear based on smear tests carried out by the CervicalCheck screening programme.
Since then, Ms Phelan has become a tireless campaigner for women who have suffered at the hands of the healthcare system.
Last month a portrait of her was auctioned for the Heroes Aid charity which was set up last year in response to the global pandemic and sources and funds Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), equipment, educational and psychological supports. It sold for €46,500.
