Campaigner urges action on cancer

JANE BAILEY wants no other family to endure the wait, trauma and agony of late cancer diagnosis. Her husband, Kieran, had developed secondary cancer in one of his lungs by the time his testicular cancer was diagnosed.

She and other campaigners for better cancer facilities are sending sprigs of heather to every TD and senator in the country, demonstrating the strength and resilience of cancer patients.

Today her local city council in Waterford meets with Health Minister, Micheál Martin, in a bid to get the Government to honour its pre-election promise to provide better facilities for cancer patients nationwide, but particularly in the south east.

Patients in Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford and Waterford must travel to Dublin or Cork for radiotherapy. The Breastcheck plan does not operate in the region and chemotherapy services are grossly under-funded.

“Ireland’s budget for cancer care is simply disastrous,” Ms Bailey said.

“The budget for the GAA is the same as the budget for cancer care. Since 1997, a total of €103 million has gone into cancer. Just over €100m has gone to the GAA over the same period,” she said.

This is despite statistics which show that one in four people dies from cancer. And while the Government has funded 76 additional consultancy posts over the past five years, they have not provided the services needed in communities.

“At the moment, people here in the south east have to travel either to Dublin or Cork for radiotherapy,” Ms Bailey, whose husband has made a full recovery, said.

“Waterford Regional Hospital is supposed to be a designated cancer service for the region. Yet we have no oncology ward and cancer patients are put in with patients on medical wards.

“The chemotherapy service in the region is not adequately staffed or resourced. The Breastcheck programme, promised in 1997, is not up and running and cervical screening waiting lists continue to grow.

“We want a clear commitment from the Government, ahead of this Budget, that they are going to pump the necessary resources into tackling cancer. The National Cancer Registry Report last year showed there are huge inequalities in cancer treatment nationwide.

“And while 20% of people currently get radiotherapy, that figure should be at 60%. It’s a lottery, depending on where you live,” Ms Bailey said.