Without unit, CF patients will continue to suffer

THE vacated 5B Ward in Cork University Hospital has been identified as the location for the in-patient beds for adults with cystic fibrosis.

According to the management and the lead adult and paediatric consultants of CUH, Build4Life is the only charity engaged with them to develop cystic fibrosis facilities in the hospital.

They have told us that the cost of developing these life changing isolated ensuite bedrooms is €2,300,000.

CUH have also stated they have no funds for this project and that an application for funding to the Department of Health/HSE is unlikely to succeed in the current climate.

Build4Life — a charity with no staff, no administrative costs and no expense accounts — has in four-and-a-half years of its existence already funded, with the hospital, what is generally accepted as the world’s most advanced adult cystic fibrosis clinic in CUH.

We now have €2 million ring-fenced to develop the in-patient beds and have applied for €300,000 through the Department of Health for lottery funding.

If this application is successful it will mean these facilities will be developed without any funding from the exchequer and because charities cannot reclaim VAT, we will be giving a gift of €450,000 to the exchequer.

We have recently launched Build4Life4Kids with a view to developing similar facilities for our children with Cystic Fibrosis and we will, over the next 18 months, have raised €4m.

As CUH cares for almost 25% of Ireland’s cystic fibrosis population, I would hope that Health Minister Dr James Reilly sanctions our application.

If he does not, our families and friends with cystic fibrosis will have to put up with the appalling conditions they now endure, for years to come.

I hope that common sense prevails.

Joe Browne

Chairperson

Build4Life/Cystic Fibrosis

Castleisland

Co Kerry