Influencer’s cancer battle fuels demand for change
When Aisling Gallagher thinks back to the months she spent waiting for tests, results and treatment, she remembers one thing above all else — how every single day felt like a week.
The Crumlin fashion and lifestyle creator, who became a powerful voice for cancer awareness after her bowel cancer diagnosis in 2020, says the fear and uncertainty of waiting is something no patient should have to endure. Now five years cancer‑free, she is urging Northern Ireland’s political parties to put cancer at the heart of their election pledges.
Aisling, 34, joined Cancer Research UK campaigners outside Stormont as the charity warned that around 5,900 lives could be saved by 2040 if the Northern Ireland Executive takes urgent action. New analysis shows that reducing the cancer death rate by 15% by 2040 — through full implementation of the 2022–2032 Cancer Strategy for Northern Ireland — could prevent thousands of deaths.
Her message is simple: “It’s vital that saving lives comes before politics.”
Aisling first became unwell in early 2020 while working as a personal shopper in London. She flew home to Northern Ireland in March and contacted her GP with symptoms including a change in bowel habits, stomach pain, weight loss and bleeding. She was referred for a colonoscopy at Antrim Area Hospital, but lockdown delays meant she waited months for the test. When it finally went ahead in late August, doctors told her the same day they suspected a tumour. The diagnosis was confirmed on September 2.
Treatment began with five weeks of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but the tumour did not shrink as hoped. In February 2021, she underwent surgery and was fitted with a temporary stoma bag — which she named “Shaz” — sharing her experience openly with her followers on Instagram and TikTok under her Galsgoss brand. “There was no way I was going to not talk about it,” she said. Six months of chemotherapy followed, and her stoma was reversed in December 2021. She has since faced complications, including surgery this April for a blockage caused by scar tissue, but remains in remission.
Last month, Aisling marked five years cancer‑free by raising more than £2,000 for Cancer Research UK. “All you want to know is that you’ll be seen quickly and that if you do have cancer you’ll receive treatment early,” she said. “I’m determined to help make things better for people facing cancer right now and in the future.”
Her call comes as Cancer Research UK publishes its manifesto ahead of next year’s Stormont election, outlining key recommendations to improve cancer outcomes. These include:
Tackling unacceptably long cancer waiting times.
Ensuring GPs have the time, support and resources to refer patients without delay.
Delivering high‑impact actions in the cancer strategy, including targeted lung screening, extending the bowel screening age range and speeding up access to tests and scans.
Implementing the Tobacco and Vapes Act and improving support to help people stop smoking.
Increasing uptake of HPV vaccinations.
Introducing minimum unit pricing on alcohol and restricting less healthy food and drink promotions.
Strengthening the research environment to accelerate development of better treatments.
The charity also highlighted the economic impact of cancer. In 2023, premature deaths resulted in the loss of around 10,000 productive years of life, costing Northern Ireland an estimated £260 million.
Cancer Research UK chief executive Michelle Mitchell said Northern Ireland’s cancer crisis is “urgent”, with waiting times worsening steadily over the last 16 years. “Northern Ireland cancer waiting times are now the worst in the UK,” she said. “The time to act is now.”
Gathering outside Stormont, Mitchell and campaigners emphasised the need to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer more effectively. Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Northern Ireland, accounting for 26% of all deaths.
Waiting times are at their worst on record, with 71% of patients not starting treatment within the 62‑day target after referral. If performance does not improve, around 20,000 people will miss the target over the next five years. The charity also warned that cancer death rates are 45% higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived.
For Aisling, these statistics reflect the reality she lived through. “It can be a lonely experience and there’s a fear element as well,” she said. “So many people’s lives are touched by the disease and the numbers are only growing.”
Her own journey shows the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment. After her initial surgery and chemotherapy, Aisling faced further challenges, including complications that required additional surgery. But she remained determined to share her story, helping thousands of followers understand the realities of cancer treatment.
This summer, she celebrated her five‑year milestone surrounded by family and friends. “There are so many things I’m grateful for in life,” she said. “I’m excited to navigate the next part of my story.”
Cancer Research UK hopes her voice — and the voices of others affected by cancer — will push political leaders to act. The charity’s manifesto calls for decisive leadership, immediate investment and sustained action to improve outcomes.
Mitchell said: “Without decisive leadership and immediate and sustained action, more lives will be unnecessarily lost.”
For Aisling, the message is personal. “It is important that the right investments are made in staff, screening and medical equipment so all patients in Northern Ireland receive the high‑quality cancer services they deserve,” she said. “That’s why I’m supporting this campaign.”
Her story, and the charity’s analysis, underline the stakes: thousands of lives could be saved — but only if action is taken now.