THE community of West Cork is rallying around a woman who has campaigned tirelessly for better lung cancer services in this country - and who is now facing her second personal cancer battle.

Bandon woman Gillian Ryan was diagnosed with lung cancer in November 2021, just days after her 40th birthday.

Extremely fit and an avid runner, she didn’t fit any of the usual criteria for the disease and her only symptom was slight breathlessness when going up stairs.

She underwent a life-saving lobectomy that December and in the following years had regular surveillance scans, and presumed the nightmare was behind her.

“But at a recent scan I was told there was a change and that a nodule had gone unreported for over a year, in the remaining part of my lung. You can imagine that was the worst possible news for me to hear,” Gillian, who is a mum to two teenagers.

Gillian now faces another major, life-saving operation in the coming weeks involving the removal of more lung and part of her airway.

Her surgery is taking place in St James’s Hospital, Dublin more than 300km from home in Cork, and her sister has launched a fundraiser to help cover accommodation costs for her family.

“Initially I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of the fundraiser – I’m usually the one who is raising funds for others,” said Gillian.

Since her first diagnosis she has raised more than €20,000 for charities including Breakthrough Cancer Research, and along with a fellow lung cancer survivor, she founded White Ribbons for lung cancer to raise money for research.

Gillian has also met with Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill to highlight the lack of support for lung cancer patients in this country, and with policy makers in the Department of Health, in a bid to get a lung cancer screening programme in place.

Both the Irish Cancer Society and the Marie Keating Foundation have submitted proposals to the Department of Health, backing her calls.

“Over 2,000 people die from lung cancer in Ireland every year,” said Gillian.

“It’s not a niche illness yet there’s no screening programme. Around 700 people die from breast cancer and that has a screening programme and while I’m not saying one cancer is worse than another, the situation for lung cancer patients is really diabolical here.

“Most people aren’t diagnosed until they’re at stage 4 as the symptoms don’t really present until then. Without a screening programme we’re limiting options, and people’s chances of survival. I’m not doing this for me, but for those who come after me  – people shouldn’t be dying because their cancer is caught too late and that’s the harsh reality of it.

“It’s so frustrating and disappointing as the country is awash with money and I can’t understand why this basic screening need can’t be implemented using some of the income from tobacco products.”

In an update shared on Instagram after this interview Gillian revealed that the Department of Health had confirmed that lung cancer screening is officially on the agenda for a meeting next week, which gives her renewed optimism.

Right now, Gillian admitted to feeling “anxious and scared” ahead of the procedure in Dublin.

“I’ve been told that this surgery is more complex than the last and will involve removing part of my airway,” she revealed.

“I won’t be able to get through that alone, and need my family with me. On a practical level, we’re a one income family and my partner has already used his paid leave taking me to appointments. The bills don’t stop because of cancer, we still have all our usual expenses.”

Gillian said her family are currently trying to find Airbnb accommodation near the hospital: “Prices are just astronomical and it’s a race around the clock now to find something suitable for them as I’ll be in hospital for at least two weeks.”

On the GoFundMe page her sister Dawn wrote: “Gillian has raised thousands of euros for cancer research, campaigned tirelessly for better lung cancer services, travelled across the world to advocate for patients and co-founded the White Ribbon Campaign for Lung Cancer raising awareness on this horrific disease that has the highest mortality rate worldwide.

“She has spent years helping others through some of the darkest moments of their lives , always listening, advocating and helping when and where she can and now, we want to help her.

“Every donation, no matter how small, will help take some of the financial pressure away from Gillian and her family and allow them to concentrate on what matters most ,getting Gillian through this surgery and giving her the safest possible recovery.”

Gillian thanked everyone for their support.

On her Instagram page (@gillslovelylungs) she wrote: “I’m going into the next chapter with the same promise I made at the beginning of this journey: I’m not done yet. I’m too stubborn to die. Lung cancer can happen to anyone. Early detection matters. Screening saves lives.”