Cancer counselling role for Killeen

FORMER Clare TD Tony Killeen is providing confidential counselling and advice to other cancer survivors throughout the country after completing professional training as a peer support volunteer.

 

Mr Killeen, who served as a government minister, revealed how on doctor’s advice, he should have taken between three and six months off work when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer in the summer of 2008.

Mr Killeen continued to work through illness, however, but now he is cautioning patients to strictly adhere to all medical advice following any cancer diagnosis.
The 60-year-old Kilnaboy man decided not to follow medical advice to take a break from work following his diagnosis for a variety of reasons, particularly his ministerial commitments.

He also pointed out, in some cases, people can’t afford to take time off work following a cancer diagnosis, particularly if they are the main bread-winner.
Prior to his appointment as Defence Minister on March 23, 2010, Mr Killeen had held several other ministerial positions including Agriculture, Communications, Environment and Enterprise. He decided to retire from national politics a few weeks before the last general election for medical reasons.

While the former national school teacher did offer advice and support to cancer patients previously, he readily admits it wasn’t really effective as he hadn’t completed the necessary training.

The Irish Cancer Society runs a support programme for newly diagnosed patients called Survivors Supporting Survivors. Trained volunteers, who have been treated for cancer themselves, contact patients throughout the country, offering one-to-one confidential support and practical advice.

Last April, Mr Killeen became a trained volunteer and now provides counselling and peer support for other cancer sufferers, some of whom are referred by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS).
When the ICS make a referral to a trained peer support worker, the society generally refers a cancer patient onto a worker who had a similar type of cancer.

Recently, he travelled to Cork to meet a cancer patient. He receives a large number of self-referrals from people, the majority of whom are not from Clare.

They feel they know him having seen him in the media during his political life or met him at an official opening of a new facility.

The one thing that continues to fascinate him is the different approach taken by cancer patients who contact him for advice and support. “Some cancer patients want to know every last detail about their cancer treatment and the alternatives. They will research cancer treatments on the internet and can ask a host of serious medical questions.
“I was totally different. I didn’t want to know anything about the treatment only what I had to know and had to do. Maybe, I was in a form of denial at the time. Analysing or discussing my medical treatment didn’t interest me.”

Considering his mother died from bowel cancer in her mid-60s, Mr Killeen has acknowledged he should have been more aware of the early signs of the disease.
“I must admit I am no use to someone who wants all the precise details about their cancer treatment and I just tell them I don’t know, what is the best course of action.
“A lot of people want support and ­reassurance. They have all the understandable fears about cancer coming back if they get sick and what will happen to them and their family.

“At the end of the call, there is a great sense of satisfaction that you have helped another cancer patient in some shape or form.
Mr Killeen feels cancer patients feel comfortable talking to other cancer survivors as they believe they are on the same wavelength, having gone through a similar experience.

Speaking at the Lap in My Shoes event to raise funds for the Clare Cancer Support Centre on Saturday, he stressed that all support centres, like the one in Kilnamona, deserve  to get some Government funding to help continue their work.
“I would urge everyone who has a doubt about their own health at the back of their mind to get it checked out as quickly as possible. Early diagnosis is the key to survival. If I had detected my cancer earlier, a colonoscopy would have been able to deal with it,” Mr Killeen said.