Campaigner Roseena Toner has said she will continue to protest until Letterkenny University Hospital is granted a standalone cancer care unit.
The Clonmany woman, who has battled leukaemia, is protesting outside the hospital gates again today to demand improved services for patients in Donegal.
The mother-of-five, who is seeking a dedicated cancer care centre, is hoping that her demonstrations will reach government level.
“Clearly we didn’t make a big enough noise the first day,” Roseena tells Donegal Daily, after her first protest two weeks ago resulted in no response from the Health Minister.
With a plenary council meeting commencing in Lifford at 11 am, Roseena also expressed her frustration at the number of councillors who had visited her protest earlier this morning.
“I did expect them to turn up and say they would do something to help,” Roseena said of her local representatives, adding that she specifically wanted backing from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors with a line to the government.
As of lunchtime, 100% Redress Party members Ali Farren, Joy Beard, Denis McGee, Tomás Sean Devine, and Charles Ward TD, Deputies Padraig MacLochlainn and Pearse Doherty and Councillor Albert Doherty from Sinn Féin, Independent Declan Meehan and Councillor Martin McDermott from Fianna Fáil are among those who visited, joining Roseena, her family, supporters, and fellow cancer patients.
Charles Ward TD, Roseena Doherty Toner and Cllr Martin McDermott at today’s protest outside LUH. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin
Roseena said: “There are people here with their stories and we are all of the one opinion – Letterkenny University Hospital needs a stand-alone cancer care facility. We need everything under the one roof.
“The ward is at one end of the hospital, the unit is at the other end of the hospital, so if you are in the day unit and need to be admitted, to tramp the whole way through the hospital with a weakened immune system to get to the ward is not good enough.”
Roseena, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid leukaemia (AML) two years ago, underwent a life-saving bone marrow transplant in early 2022. She has been in remission for the past two years. Roseena has had to visit LUH several times in recent years due to infections and her weakened immune system following her illness.
Deputy Charles Ward of the 100% Redress Party says he will be calling for government intervention: “What we need in Donegal is equal services compared to everywhere else. I am asking the government and the people and the powers that be to make this happen. Donegal is the forgotten county and this is a primary example.”
Roseena Doherty Toner with her mother and daughter. From Left- Josie, Rosie and Roseena Toner. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin
The HSE says that the vision for cancer infrastructure at LUH is to develop appropriate Ambulatory Cancer Facilities while a Cancer Centre is progressing at Galway University Hospital.
In a statement released on the day of Roseena’s initial protest, the HSE said that LUH is immediately improving cancer treatment start times by using a designated area within the inpatient ward as a Day Unit extension for Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT).
Last month it was revealed that less than a third (31%) of cancer patients are treated in the recommended timeframe of 15 working days at LUH. Patients waiting on their first chemotherapy appointment at LUH face an average wait time of 22 working days. The wait times are the longest in the HSE west and north west region, with Letterkenny cancer patients waiting almost 50% longer than all patients in Mayo.
The HSE says several challenges face all cancer care units. The rising incidence of cancer and more complex treatments have placed extra demand on services. Patient survival rates have also improved, which increases demand for cancer services in general and cancer treatments, particularly the Day Wards.
A statement said: “In order to address these challenges as effectively and as timely as possible LUH have established a working group comprised of the members of the Cancer MCAN management team and hospital clinical and management teams and have commenced measures to improve chemotherapy start times with the objective of returning performance to KPI targets within the shortest possible timeline.
“This includes the high risk cancer patients who are commencing the SACT (Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy) therapy on an inpatient basis.
“LUH has an area within the inpatient ward which has been designated as a Day Unit extension where patients can have their SACT treatment and will provide some immediate improvement in SACT start times.”
