”Being supported by Charlotte’s Vision has given deeper meaning to my work as a cancer researcher. Knowing that this charity exists to improve outcomes for people living with metastatic breast cancer constantly reminds me that the research I carry out is not just about scientific progress, but about real lives, real families, and the urgent need for better treatment options. It is a privilege to contribute to research that aligns so closely with the purpose that first drew me into cancer biology.

My decision to pursue cancer research began in 2017, during a summer internship at HealthCare Global Enterprises (HCG), a chain of cancer hospitals in India. At the time, I was a third-year undergraduate student looking for practical experience. When the course co-ordinator handed the joining document to me and my friend, we realised that we had been assigned to the paediatric department. I was excited at the thought of interacting with kids,but little did I know that this experience would shape my perspective on several things in life. Although we were clinical research interns on paper, luckily, we were made to observe almost every interaction the patients and their families had with the doctors. For the first few days we were familiarising ourselves with the terminologies, what to expect when a child walks in with his/her parents, what are the usual next steps, etc and by the end of second week, we were well versed with the names of long-term patients and what kind of ward each of them was allotted to. The families would recognise us on the hallway and stop for a quick chat. Occasionally, we would be sent over to the diagnostic laboratory to learn how the cancer type would be detected. So, it is safe to say that cancer was not just a disease I would read about in textbooks or it was not just a flask of cells I would look at through the microscope anymore. It meant looking at the impact cancer had on the lives of these young children. This experience led me to develop a perspective of cancer as a lifelong journey rather than a single diagnosis. It also connects deeply with the mission of Charlotte’s Vision, which is committed to supporting research that improves outcomes for people with advanced and metastatic disease.

Till this internship experience, I had a very shallow notion that the biggest ordeal any cancer patient would experience is – loss of hair. It didn’t take me long to notice that hair loss is the least painful part of the conventional chemotherapy. With chemotherapy killing all rapidly growing cells, many patients would experience severe infections or fever at somestage of treatment. These fever episodes would eventually hinder continuation of treatment. I carried out a mini retrospective study to understand the relationship between type of infection caused by chemotherapy and the duration of hospitalization due to the infection. This meant I would be able to look at previous patient histories and the overall side effects of chemotherapy. It got me thinking of alternative therapeutic options which are not as harsh on kids.

Even though I only spent 2 months at HCG, the lessons I learnt there have influenced my career. I was determined to study cancer biology in depth to work on targeted therapies.One of the novel therapeutic options I came across was the use of drug carriers while doing my master’s in medical biotechnology in Poland. This led me to the idea of using natural drug carriers like extracellular vesicles to target solid tumours. While looking for research articles on extracellular vesicles, I came across Professor Róisín Dwyer’s research focused on metastatic breast cancer at the University of Galway. Motivated by the alignment between her work and my own research goals, I applied through a competitive interview process and was honoured to be selected to join her lab for my PhD.

Amid all the successful and failed experiments, learnings and realisations, it is easy to forget what all of this actually means to the patients but since I have started my PhD journey in Professor Dwyer’s team, my perspective on research has continued to evolve through my engagement with the public. Hearing directly from patients and supporters has been a powerful reminder of why research matters. It has reconnected me with the sense of responsibility I first felt during my hospital internship years ago.

Charlotte’s Vision plays a vital role in keeping that responsibility at the forefront of my work. The charity’s commitment to supporting research into metastatic breast cancer motivates me to ensure that my work remains patient-focused and impact-driven. I am incredibly grateful to Professor Dwyer for the opportunity to pursue this research, to Charlotte’s Vision for bridging the gap between science and the community, and for the support that makes this work possible.”