UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre, based at UPMC Whitfield Hospital in Waterford, provides comprehensive cancer care to patients across Ireland’s South East. Since opening in 2006 as the first international location in the UPMC Hillman network, it has been committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centred oncology services close to home.
Comprehensive cancer care
The centre offers comprehensive cancer care with the centre recently receiving a large investment and undergoing an extensive upgrade with two new linear accelerators, and the recruitment of two additional Radiation Oncologists. Dr. Ciara Lyons was appointed as Medical Director in 2023. UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre is accredited by the Joint Commission International, reflecting its commitment to high quality patient care and safety standards.
Providing outstanding patient care
Our mission is to serve communities by providing outstanding patient care and to shape tomorrow’s health system through clinical and technological innovation, research and education. We are excited to offer clinical trials at UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre, ensuring access and equity of care to the patients in the South-East of Ireland
Dedicated clinical trials team
We have a dedicated clinical trials team comprising of an Oncology Clinical Research and Development Lead, who has worked for over 10 years in clinical trials, establishing the current portfolio in our partner site at Bon Secours, Cork. There is, in addition, a dedicated Senior Clinical Research Radiation Therapist, Medical Physics Experts with clinical trials experience, and an experienced research nursing team.
Dr. Ciara Lyons-Site Lead at UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre, Waterford.
Dr. Ciara Lyons is the Clinical Director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre at UPMC Whitfield Hospital, Waterford. She trained in Radiation Oncology in Dublin and Belfast and completed a PhD in GU oncology at Queen’s University Belfast. Dr. Lyons has held consultant roles in Cork and Northern Ireland and has a strong interest in clinical trials and education, contributing to national committees and teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Here Erica speaks about the role the research radiation therapist plays and how they are involved in every step of the patient’s journey when a patient participates on a clinical trial.
“Patients that I’ve looked after on trials report that they feel reassured by the level of oversight from the study doctor and that having a dedicated contact on the research team from referral through treatment and into follow-up is comforting, to know that there is someone at the end of the phone if they need advice”.
Meet some of the IRROG members based at UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre, Waterford.
Dr. Ciara Lyons
Dr. Ciara Lyons
Dr. Ciara Lyons is the clinical director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre at UPMC Whitfield Hospital, Waterford. She graduated from University College Dublin and undertook general medical training in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast and the Mater Hospital, Dublin, following which she proceeded to higher specialist training in Radiation Oncology in Dublin and Belfast. Dr. Lyons then became a Fellow of the Faculty of Radiology of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and subsequently completed a three-year PhD fellowship in GU oncology at Queen’s University Belfast under the supervision of Prof. Joe O’Sullivan and Prof. Suneil Jain. Her PhD thesis was titled ‘Risk stratification in the management of localised prostate cancer treated with radical radiotherapy’.
Following completion of her fellowship she practiced as a consultant both in Northern Ireland and Cork University Hospital prior to taking up her current post. In April 2023, Dr. Lyons joined UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre where she was appointed as Clinical Director.
As part of her previous roles, Dr. Lyons served as a member of the Radiation Oncology and Fellowship Committees of the Faculty of Radiologists.
She was the CUH training coordinator for higher trainees in radiation oncology and successfully led accreditation of the training programme during this time. She was also an honorary senior clinical lecturer with UCC during this time with responsibility for undergraduate radiation oncology teaching and delivered lectures to medical, nursing, and radiation therapy students. Dr. Lyons continues to participate in the provision of SpR teaching via the Faculty of Radiologists.
Dr. Lyons has had a longstanding interest in clinical trials in radiotherapy, particularly in GU oncology. She previously led the CUH radiotherapy trials group and was the Cork lead for IRROG, the Irish Radiation Research Oncology Group.
Erica Bennett
Ita-Marie Dunne