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Updated: Sep 27, 2026

Evaluating the Role of Mitochondrial Function in Cancer-related Fatigue
08:56

Evaluating the Role of Mitochondrial Function in Cancer-related Fatigue

Published on: May 17, 2018

A survivor's journey: one woman's experience with cancer-related fatigue

Maureen Gilbert1

  • 17 Avoca Place, Black Rock, Co Dublin, Ireland. maureengilbert@ireland.com

The Oncologist
|March 11, 2003
PubMed

Maureen Gilbert was diagnosed at age 45 with breast cancer in Dublin, Ireland in 2000. She had a mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction, chemotherapy, and a second prophylactic mastectomy with reconstruction. Soon after diagnosis, she began to experience fatigue that intensified to incapacitating levels with chemotherapy and stayed with her for 18 months. This experience is described in compelling terms. Fatigue was not mentioned by any of her caregivers when they spoke of symptoms and side effects. She is convinced that if the condition of fatigue had been described and validated as a symptom from the beginning, it would have helped her considerably to manage and live through it. There were some very positive outcomes from the whole experience of having cancer, but the journey would have been easier, had someone told her about fatigue.

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