'It was a lonely time': Cork patients outline stress of having to travel for cancer treatment

Mags McCarthy (second from right) has been advocating for the lab needed to allow CUH to offer stem cell transplants again since her own father travelled to Dublin to avail of the treatment.

Cork patients have described how stressful and lonely it is  having to travel to Galway and Dublin for cancer treatment.

Patient advocate Mags McCarthy will address the Dáil on Wednesday on the need for a dedicated stem cell transplant unit in CUH.

Regina Tobin said she is lucky that her children took time off work to bring her to Galway, even though they also have young children and her daughter was seven months pregnant at the time.

“I was very vulnerable, having to travel when I was so sick I could barely walk, and there’s the psychological stress on top of it. I was so lucky to have good family but I felt I was a burden. 

One man I know travelled up by bus and then was told there was no bed yet and he had to stay in a BnB. 

Her nephew has also been diagnosed recently and is also now facing into multiple trips up and down to Galway.

Belinda Northcote was also treated in Galway, and said: “I struggled with finding somebody to take me up there, it’s a lot to ask somebody”, particularly as only short notice is given when a bed is available.

“It was a horrific time — Cork needs this unit because it could be restricting people in this part of the country from getting the same treatments that others are getting.” 

Denis O’Donovan got the treatment during the covid lockdown, and had to travel up and down to Dublin on the train regularly for around three months.

“It was terrible, my wife drove me to the station in Mallow and we said our goodbyes — everything was isolated so my family weren’t able to visit for ages.

“It’s crazy — this facility was in CUH 20 years ago and they closed it.” 

Paul Reidy was preparing to head to Galway for the harvesting part of the process when his father was rushed to CUH, passing away an hour after Mr Reidy arrived home to Cobh.

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“If I had been in CUH I would have been able to go across the ward and see my father every evening, instead of sitting in a bed up in Galway — it was a lonely time, being so far from home really got me down mentally.” 

After his transplant, he was transferred down to CUH by ambulance, and the journey took six hours due to a crash on the road.

“I was only 40, I was fit, healthy and active and I found it tough — I can only imagine how older people feel.

“The treatment is amazing, it got everyone in remission and the care was second to none but you shouldn’t have to travel for it in this day and age.”