Varadkar: Cancer vow dependent on funding

Health Minister Leo Varadkar has insisted he cannot deliver on a government promise, made three years ago, that could save 87 lives yearly unless he secures additional money.

The Irish Cancer Society is demanding the extension of BreastCheck to women aged 65-69 who have the second-highest incidence of breast cancer and the second-highest chance of dying from it.

Speaking at a conference for cancer survivors that was organised by the society, Mr Varadkar said he was keen to introduce the screening extension but had to ensure there was enough money to maintain existing services.

Currently, BreastCheck screens women aged 50-64 years every two years. The society says 87 lives could be saved every year if the screenings extension, first promised in the programme for government in 2011, are introduced. It called for it to be included in the HSE’s National Services Plan for 2015.

“It is something that I very much want to do but I can’t do it if it means cutting services for people who have cancer and are being treated for cancer. That would be a mistake,” said Mr Varadkar.

It is crucial that funding be maintained for existing services so they do not deteriorate, he said. “If additional monies are made available by Government I can prioritise developments like that.”

Mr Varadkar said he is developing a new cancer strategy for 2016 onwards and wants to make sure a key part would concentrate on survivors.

Almost 1,000 cancer survivors from across Ireland attended the free, two-day conference in the Aviva Stadium.

The society’s support services manager, Olwyn Ryan, said they wanted to enable people to live better after a cancer diagnosis and give them the information and support that will help them with the transition from patient to survivor.

A director of MedEx at Dublin City University, Dr Noel McCaffrey said exercise reduces the distressing and common symptoms of cancer-related fatigue as well as enhancing quality of life.

“Cancer survivors, or their relatives and friends, often feel that exercise participation may be harmful to their health. This is untrue and leads to unnecessary and damaging deconditioning which can have negative effects on physical, psychological, and emotional health and may actually impair full recovery,” he said.