Hardship to be alleviated for cancer patients

MEDICAL experts said yesterday much hardship will be alleviated for cancer patients, through having access to radiotherapy treatment in Limerick.

Consultant surgeon John Drumm said radiotherapy entails a three-minute treatment, five days a week over a six-week period. Consequently, to undergo daily three-minute treatments, most mid-west patients have to spend six weeks away from home in Dublin or Cork except for weekends.

“This puts a huge burden on women, particularly, who have to put arrangements in place if they have families, to have children looked after. There is no question of a patient commuting every day from County Clare to Cork or Dublin. There are hostels for patients to stay in, but they still have to have their families looked after. Cancer is already very traumatic.” He said women with breast cancer who feel they cannot avail of radiotherapy treatment because of the time away from home it entails, may have to undergo aggressive surgery as a result. “If these patients have access to radiotherapy treatment they may need a lesser procedure,” said Mr Drumm.