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Donegal cancer
patients are stepping up their campaign for
accessible public cancer care services in the
region.
Regional cancer group, Co-operating for Cancer Care
(NW), will hold a public meeting in Letterkenny next
Monday in support of local radiation services for
the North West.
One of the main guest speakers will be Dr. Orla
Hardiman, a consultant neurologist at Dublin's
Beaumont Hospital. A founding member of The Doctors'
Alliance, she believes public services are the key
to a better health care system.
Marie O'Connor, author of 'Emergency: Irish
Hospitals in Chaos' will also address what is
expected to be a large gathering. Like Dr. Hardiman,
Ms. O'Connor is an advocate of publicly funded
health services. She believes that 'private for
profit health care offers worse quality at higher
cost'.
She said: "We believe that a two-tier health system
and, in particular, the policy of co-locating for
profit hospitals on public hospital sites will
irrevocably weaken our public healthcare system."
Donegal Person of the Year and well-known country
singer, Margo O'Donnell, will also address the
meeting to be held in the Clanree Hotel on May 21st,
at 8.30pm.
CCC(NW) spokesperson, Noelle Duddy said no cancer
patient's health, nor any patient's health, should
be exploited for profit.
"No profit margin should attach to our cancers and
our treatments. We are not commodities, we are
patients. We are not for sale," she said.
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