It's difficult to imagine a 'better person' than Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon

Irene Feighan worked closely with Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon, who died on Monday with colorectal cancer, on a bowel cancer edition of Feelgood. Here, she remembers a calm and witty woman who hoped to save lives through education

Dr. Sarah Fitzgibbon had a deep personal knowledge of bowel cancer, having been diagnosed at 37 with metastatic colorectal cancer in 2014 when her third child was eight months old. Picture: Chani Anderson

With my notebook in hand, I met Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon for the first time in a coffee shop in Douglas, Cork, in December 2024.

It was a few weeks before Christmas, and we decided to mark the season by adding two mince pies to the coffee order.

We had arranged to meet to discuss her collaboration on a special bowel cancer edition of Feelgood. Sarah had a deep personal knowledge of the disease, having been diagnosed at 37 with metastatic colorectal cancer in 2014 when her third child was eight months old.

She responded well to targeted therapies and returned to her busy life. However, a routine scan in May 2024 found that the cancer was active again.

Though follow-up intensive treatment had left her feeling depleted, she was determined to raise awareness in the special edition about the disease that is diagnosed in more than 2,800 people annually, a growing number of whom are aged under 50. Bowel cancer has a five-year survival rate of 97% when diagnosed in the early stages.

Feelgood editor Irene Feighan and Dr. Sarah Fitzgibbon collaborated on a special edition highlighting the realities of living with bowel cancer. Picture: Chani Anderson

Bowel screening is available to those between 57 and 71, and Sarah wanted to point out the simple logic: participating in the free programme could help save your life.

As a primary care clinical advisor with the National Screening Service, she was ideally positioned to suggest key people within the HSE to interview. It says much of her standing among her colleagues that every medical expert we approached quickly said yes.

With education about the warning signs as a key message, I approached Stylo Motion Graphics, which offered to produce an information animation pro bono. Another gesture of support for the woman on a mission.

Weeks before the special edition was published, we met at the beach in Myrytleville. Photographer Chani Anderson was assigned to take photographs and shoot a video. It was a cold, granite-grey day, and all three of us were wrapped up in thick coats like seals. Sarah took the shoot in her stride, following directions and smiling when requested.

Later, we moved to a nearby house perched above a churning sea. Warmed by mugs of tea, we settled into armchairs to record a podcast. Sarah told her story, detailing the facts while keeping her emotions in check. A doctor in name and in temperament.

The days leading up to publication on March 28, 2025, were hectic, but Sarah was on standby, calmly checking every line of copy before sign-off. She also wrote an article about her experience of cancer and her reasons for working on the special edition, which got a huge online response.

She didn't hold back on the ick factor that can stop people from doing the bowel screening test. "People happily stand in the middle of the street manhandling their dog’s poo with a flimsy plastic bag, yet a potentially life-saving interaction with our waste product seems a step too far for some."

She founded Women in Medicine in Ireland Network in 2017 and was understandably proud of its work. In a 2023 interview for the Irish Examiner's Weekend, when she featured in its Top 100 Women, she told me: “We lift each other up and reach out to each other.” 

Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon pictured on Myrtleville beach. Picture: Chani Anderson

"Many of us remember her for reasons beyond her remarkable accomplishments: as a wonderful colleague, advocate, friend, doctor, and mentor," a WiMIN Instagram post said yesterday.

Her wit and sharp writing skills were evident in her blog, Adventures of a Sick Doctor, which she started in 2014. In her final post on September 20, she wrote: "I have minimal faith or spirituality, but I do know that if anyone uses the words "brave battle" in relation to me, I WILL haunt them."

Sarah once stated that 'Cancer wants to make me a better person', reworking a standout line from the film  As Good as It Gets.

From her open-hearted blogs and humorous Instagram posts to her support for female doctors and dedication to raising awareness about bowel cancer, it's difficult to imagine a 'better person'.

For those of us who want to remember Sarah, she left a simple instruction: "Plant a tree for me. An oak."

My deepest sympathy to her family and friends.

Spot the symptoms of bowel cancer

• Changes in bowel habits — diarrhoea, runny bowel movements, constipation, needing to poo more or less often than usual.
• Blood in your poo, which may look red or black.
• Abdominal issues — cramps, general abdominal pain, bloating that doesn’t go away.
• Weight loss when you’re not trying to lose weight.
• Tiredness and lack of energy when you’ve had enough rest.
• Any unusual change you know isn’t right for you.
• If you experience one or more of these symptoms, you should make an appointment to see your GP.
• For information on bowel cancer screening and using home test kits, click here.