Irish Cancer Society ‘spins’ a U-turn to cut its losses
CYNICISM is not a word one would normally associate with the Irish Cancer Society but it is appropriate in light of what has transpired over the last 48 hours.
On Tuesday, the society announced it was terminating its hardship fund. The decision was taken last November, but the society only issued a release following inquiries from RTÉ’s Liveline .
Last year, the fund dispersed €1.5m to 2,714 cases last year to assist individuals and families with the financial strain that accompanies diagnosis and treatment. The society said it was unable to continue with the fund following an upsurge in applications over the last 12 months.
Cue outrage on the airwaves, online and in print. Liveline led the reaction. Joe Duffy heard from a procession of listeners who will be impacted by the withdrawal. The testimony was heart wrenching.
Most of it was from parents of children living with cancer who will be affected by the cuts. Threats not to contribute to fundraising for the society and to withdraw assistance in fundraising were aired.
In PR terms, it was a dreadful day for the Irish Cancer Society.
By mid-morning yesterday, all had changed. Or at least, so it appeared. The ICS announced it was “reversing the decision to discontinue financial support for the families of children with cancer.
“This fund for children will now be maintained and the financial support for families of children with cancer will now continue,” the release read.
“We deeply regret and apologise for the upset which our decision has caused and we hope that this announcement that we are restoring financial support for more than 200 children and families affected by cancer every year will ease that hurt.”
What about the adults? The announcement of a “reversal” is straight out of spin school.
In reality, the ICS made a calculation. The society is dependent on fundraising for about 95% of its income. The welter of bad publicity was going to have an impact.
So a partial — very partial — reversal of the decision was reached with the restoration of €200,000 of the fund which was directed at the families of children with cancer.
Quite obviously the latest move was based on the disproportionately bad publicity that attached to cases involving children.
Restore one ninth of the fund and hope that that will shut off a far greater proportion of the bad publicity. Limit the damage for a reasonable outlay.
Cancer is a highly expensive condition.
A report by the ICS last year found that the average cost to a patient and their family is €862 per month, rising to €1,400 when a job loss is involved.
But while child cases are always far more emotive, the bigger financial cost tends to accrue when it is an adult who has the condition.
Restrictions on work, particularly, for instance, for part-time workers, have a major impact.
When it’s the main breadwinner in a house who is afflicted the cost is ratcheted up even further.
But we live in a world where the imperative of image is everything. So the ICS has cut its losses, putting out the bigger fires of bad PR on a cost- effective basis.
None of which should take away from the position the society finds itself in with regard to providing services.
To a large extent, it plugs holes which the State has left. Much of the activity the ICS engages in would be the responsibility of the State in a country that properly valued all its citizens.
As it is, the society has to provide services like a night nurse, and is drawn on by cancer centres to plug gaps left by personnel such as social care workers who are not replaced when they retire.
In such a milieu, it’s no wonder that the Irish Cancer Society is petrified of any bad PR that might impact on its ability to fundraise.
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