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Campaigners "overjoyed" as major
cancer unit opens
29.11.16
CO-OPERATING for Cancer
Care NorthWest, CCC(NW), has said it is "absolutely
delighted and overjoyed" that the cross border,
North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital
began taking its first patients yesterday.
CCC(NW) spokesperson Noelle Duddy said: “Members of
CCC(NW) have long waited for this day. We were
always confident and optimistic that this Centre
would be built and opened. Radiotherapy treatments
are starting, they’re happening, this is a great
achievement for all involved and it’s brilliant news
for people living in Donegal and the North West
Region. As we know, until today, the North West was
the only region on this island without reasonable
access to radiotherapy services. This new unit will
treat approximately 1,100 cancer patients from the
Western Health & Social Care Trust (WHSCT) and part
of the NHSCT and 400 cancer patients from Donegal
each year. By itself, Donegal and its environs did
not have a large enough population to safely sustain
a radiotherapy unit and neither did the WHSCT.
However, as a region, the North West’s population
exceeds 500,000 and by joining together the
populations on either side of the Border, the
‘critical mass’ required to safely provide a
radiotherapy service has been achieved.”
“For us, in CCC(NW), it is a day to celebrate, our
work is done. CCC(NW), a small Donegal cancer
campaign group made up of cancer patients and family
members, have been lobbying for this unit for over
eleven years. We all have personal experience of
cancer and of having to travel to Dublin for
treatment. Back all those years ago we recognised
the absolute need for the provision of radiotherapy
services for future cancer patients in the
Donegal/North West Region and we set about trying
and achieve this.” |
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CCC(NW) members at the launch of
plans for thr North West Cancer Centre at
Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. |
“Our goal was to turn
the possibility of a radiotherapy unit in the North
West into a reality. We campaigned the length and
breadth of this island, we lobbied in Leinster House
and Stormont Castle, in Council Chambers, on the
streets of Dublin, Derry and Letterkenny, we lobbied
politicians and health officials from both sides of
the border and we brought our campaign into the
homes of every town and townland in Donegal. Our
message was simple and easy to understand - the
people of Donegal and the North West Region need a
radiotherapy unit in either Letterkenny University
or Altnagelvin Hospital to treat cancer patients
locally and we need to work together, speaking with
one united voice to achieve this goal.”
“Today is a very fine example of cross border
co-operation working well for cancer patients on
either side of the border. When this unit becomes
fully operational by mid 2017, the majority of
cancer patients in Donegal/NW requiring radiotherapy
will be able to receive their treatment near to
home, families and friends. Patients, especially
those requiring palliative radiotherapy, who
currently may have to refuse treatment because they
are unable to travel to Dublin, Galway or Belfast,
will now be able to accept and avail of treatment.
Travelling distressing hundreds of miles for
radiotherapy treatment will be a thing of the past.
This decision has made the future ‘brighter’ for
local cancer patients.”
“The North West is often referred to as a Unique
Region with unique needs. CCC(NW) recognises the
uniqueness of this cross border Project and of how
it will address the very human needs of its cancer
patient population. We urge and encourage both
jurisdictions, North and South to build on this
project's success and continue to work together in
partnership, across communities, across parties and
across borders, collaborating to further develop
cross border, world class cancer services. In the
North West Region of this Island we still do not
have a fully designated Cancer Centre serving its
500,000 plus population. CCC(NW) encourage both
jurisdictions to remain proactive and provide the
North West Region with a fully designated cross
border Cancer Centre with Letterkenny University and
Altnagelvin Hospitals working together in
partnership serving the entire population of the
North West Region. The North West Cancer Centre at
Altnagelvin provides a strong and positive template
to develop further partnerships/collaborations in
cross border healthcare provision into the future.
It serves as an excellent beginning. There is much
more work to be done.”
Finally, every person who played a role in enabling
this centre to become a reality are part of this
successful achievement and ought to be very proud of
themselves. CCC(NW) would like to applaud all our
fellow campaigners, followers and politicians from
either side of the border who have also supported
the development of this service. We would like to
thank all members of the Radiotherapy Project Team,
for their hard work, commitment and determination to
ensure that the centre is opening today. We
sincerely wish all those patients and their families
who need treatment within the walls of this centre,
peace and comfort." |
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