Ahead of Daffodil Day (Friday, 28th March), the national fundraising day for the Irish Cancer Society, Aontú Senator Sarah O’Reilly says that figures showing a 12% disparity in the 5 year survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer in public hospitals, as opposed to those in private, is a stark reminder that more effort must be made to ensure early diagnosis.
Speaking in the Seanad, Senator O’ Reilly referenced figures provided to her party from the Department of Health in response to a PQ (Parliamentary Question) saying
“This is a very sad statistic, and it is shocking to think that 12 more women out of a 100 will die following diagnosis in a public hospital as opposed to those in a private hospital”.
In a statement to coincide with Daffodil Day, Senator O’Reilly said,
“While thankfully the number of people in Ireland who are not just living, but thriving, following Cancer continues to grow, more needs to be done”.
“We simply cannot have a situation where public patients have less chances to survive, this is so wrong”.
“Early diagnosis is key and a crucial determinant as to successful outcomes for patients. Once a patient is deemed fit for treatment then he or she should receive it as quickly as possible. We know that the HSE has set targets of 90% of patents commencing treatment within a fifteen-day window of initial diagnosis but this is being missed and with Cancer, time is of the essence”.
“An economic divide or a postcode simply should not be a factor in whether a person lives or dies”.
