Kilkenny campaigner Vicky Phelan develops serious side-effects from cancer treatment

Kilkenny’s hero cancer campaigner Vicky Phelan has suffered a setback during her ongoing treatment at a clinic in the USA.

The Mooncoin mother-of-two, who is currently in the US undergoing a trial cancer treatment, took to Instagram late yesterday to reveal she has developed Bell’s Palsy during rounds 10 and 11 of her treatment.

Speaking to her followers, Vicky (46) said: “I have developed a new side effect from the main drug on my clinical trial which I have been trying to get my head around.

“I now have Bell’s Palsy, temporary paralysis of the facial nerves on one side of the face, in my case, the left side.

“It is caused by inflammation of the nerves that control the muscles on one side of your face and is a known side effect of the main drug on my clinical trial.

I woke up last Thursday and couldn’t move my lip on the left hand side and found it difficult to talk and close my mouth and my left eye started tearing up to where I am now having to manually close my eyelid.

“I feel that now that I am on the full dose of the main trial drug and I am also getting one of the other two drugs (interleukin 12) every two weeks now instead of every four weeks … my body is struggling to adjust hence the vomiting and nausea and the Bell’s Palsy.

“My symptoms have improved since last week and it looks like it will (hopefully) resolve itself ???,” the brave campaigner added.

Vicky is taking part in a trial cancer treatment called M7824 at the National Institute of Health facility in Maryland and has been in the US since early January. Her treatment is expected to last a year.

Still foremost in her mind is her imminent journey back to Ireland to see her children, family and friends and signed off by saying: “I am really hoping that all of these side effects ease off before I head home in a month or so. Better that they happen now while I have a full team to look after me!”