'We still have side-effects': long-term recovery from childhood cancer and chemotherapy

The majority of children recover from cancer, but some are left with lifelong side effects of gruelling chemo, steroid and radiation treatments. Genome sequencing offers the greatest hope for full recovery

Sinéad Wood and her son Cillian from Wexford Town. Cillian, who has been through three and a half years of treatment for lymphoma. Picture: Patrick Browne

Sinéad Wood thought she’d throw a party as soon as her son finished cancer treatment. She thought she’d begin living life to the max once Cillian finally closed the door on the rigorous treatment regimen he has endured for three and a half years, after being diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma at age seven.

But it hasn’t worked out like that. Her 10-year-old said goodbye to chemo and steroids in July — and the Wexford mum of two feels anxious. “I panic. I worry the cancer’s going to come back. I gave Cillian chemo every single night for two years — so I had to know his blood counts every night. Now I don’t know what his blood counts are and I’m worried something’s wrong.”