Galway Man Battles Stage Four Lung Cancer with Resilience

Declan Costello, a 60-year-old father from Rush, Co Dublin, received a devastating stage four lung cancer diagnosis in early January 2025. His health issues began in mid-December 2024 while he was working as a Santa in Galway. A persistent cough forced him to stop working and seek medical attention.

Initially, Costello’s general practitioner prescribed cough medicine, expecting a common cold or flu. When his symptoms worsened, including a significant loss of appetite, he returned to his GP in January. “He said to me, ‘I have a note in my file that if you came back to me in the same condition, I would send you for tests immediately,’” Costello recalls. With his bag packed for tests, he was prepared for the next steps.

At Beaumont Hospital, a series of blood tests, scans, and biopsies confirmed the diagnosis: a tumour in his lung that had already spread to his liver. The news hit Costello hard. “It felt like I’d been hit by a sledgehammer,” he said. A consultant estimated he had between six months to a year to live. “I wasn’t eating. I was still losing weight — I’d lost over three stone by then,” he added.

Yet, Costello’s resolve to fight the disease emerged quickly. He stated, “I said, ‘I’m going to get better, and I’ll fight this.’” His oncology team, led by Dr. Jarushka Naidoo at Beaumont Hospital, developed a treatment plan involving immunotherapy. Gerard Fitzmaurice, a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at St James’s Hospital, noted, “Immunotherapy is a new type of medication that activates a person’s immune system against their cancer.”

Costello began his immunotherapy treatment in the first week of March 2025, with sessions scheduled every three weeks. His progress has been encouraging; a scan in mid-June revealed that his tumours had shrunk by 2.5 cm, and subsequent scans showed the lung mass remained stable. “That news was like winning the lottery for me,” Costello said. “Just to hear the word ‘reduced’. It didn’t matter by how much.”

Despite the challenges of treatment, which often leaves him fatigued for a day or two, Costello remains active. He participated in a fundraising walk for the Irish Cancer Society, covering 30 miles in September 2025. “I walked one mile every day, and we raised over €3,000,” he shared, adding a personal touch by giving historical commentary about Rush during the walks.

Additionally, Costello visits the palliative care unit at St Francis’ Hospice in Raheny. Initially hesitant about the word “palliative,” he discovered an enriching day patient programme that includes massages and reflexology. “It’s absolutely fantastic,” he said, highlighting the supportive environment that offers more than just end-of-life care.

Before his diagnosis, Costello worked as a caretaker at his local community centre and refereed football matches. He passed a fitness test for refereeing in August 2024, demonstrating his active lifestyle. “I’ve always been fairly active,” he noted.

To maintain his well-being, he embraces a unique morning routine involving the sea. Although he cannot swim, he immerses himself in the water, finding solace in the process. “When I told my nurse about it, she suggested I could see that as healing my ‘mind, body, and soul’. I thought that was a lovely way of looking at it,” he explained.

As he continues his treatment, Costello remains hopeful. His next scan is scheduled for January 2026, and he is determined to keep fighting. His journey illustrates not only the challenges of battling cancer but also the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.