Letters to the editor: Survey aims to improve outcomes from cancer

EDITOR – As someone who has been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, I am writing to draw the attention of your readers to a survey of women in a similar position to myself, with the aim of improving the services and supports available.

Supported by Cancer Trials Ireland, the survey is seeking the views of women whose breast cancer has spread, also known as metastatic or stage 4 breast cancer, on their cancer journey experiences.

When it comes to a diagnosis of cancer, there can be so many questions. 

The survey covers various topics, from discussions with medical teams to conversations with family and children, from sexuality and fertility issues to financial stresses, from coping with mental health challenges to engaging with palliative care.

I would encourage as many women who find themselves in these circumstances to take part so that we can get as comprehensive a view as possible as to what they have encountered.

Thanks to advances in treatments, we are living longer. 

We need to ensure that health and psychosocial services are adapting to support us, and to make life that little bit better for those who may follow in our footsteps.

The survey is available online now at www.cancertrials.ie.

Siobhan Gaynor,

Co-chief investigator,

Cancer Trials Ireland Patient
Consultants’ Committee,

RCSI House, 

Dublin 2.

Climate issues not our fault, but our creator’s 

EDITOR –- THE recent fires in Greece, Spain, Canada, United States and other parts of the world are caused by record breaking temperatures.  

The loss of life, homes and property in these places is frightening despite frantic efforts of firefighters and governments to curb the flames.  

Of course the experts will point to global warming as the root cause. They should have a good look at other factors that cause extreme weather. 

I remember reading an article from an American journalist who went to a region of the North Pole and lived  with a tribe of Eskimos for a short time there. This tribe lived by hunting daily and fishing.  

The same people have been doing this for years.  

At the peak of winter, usually they had only one hour of daylight to hunt which was always the case.  

These people have noticed changes in their daily life in recent years. Now they are getting two hours at the peak winter, their sunset is now at a different angle to the usual, which was usually overhead, and also while hunting they put down markers to guide them back and forth, and they now find them at different locations.

 These people are in no doubt that there are changes in Earth’s axis and that the sun is nearer the Earth’s surface. 

 I am certain scientists are aware of this with all the hurricanes, flooding, different currents in the oceans etc. Who could move or tilt the earth’s axis?  

Certainly not mankind. It’s time for all governments and all people everywhere to turn and give due honour and respect to our creator.  

Jeremiah McCarthy,  

Tawnies Grove, 

Clonakilty.

Why still no yellow lines at Lough Hyne?

EDITOR – I was happy to see the new landscaping at one of my favourite locations in West Cork last year – which created much more obvious pull-in areas for traffic on busy days at the popular spot.

But, once again, the Council has failed to put double yellow lines at these pull-in spots and so, inevitably, those unfamiliar with the area think they are parking bays.

There was pure mayhem there recently on a sunny Saturday when all the pull-in bays were packed with parked cars and so incoming cars, campervans and other vehicles loaded with kayaks were forced to reverse up the winding road back to the junction at the forest entrance when meeting exiting traffic.

Is it too much to ask for some sharp-witted Council employee to turn up with a bucket of yellow paint and draw a few lines? Probably.

Susan Crowe,

Ballincollig.

Funding must be ring-fenced for wheelchairs 

EDITOR – It seems to take a lot of pushing and shoving to get a wheelchair in this country, but sadly those in need will not be getting their badly-needed chairs without enormous lobbying, competing, and begging on their part.  

The current set-up uses a community fund and application to get one, instead of a fund ‘within’ the HSE for such vital apparatus. Many people must wait for very long times, young and old. 

Community funds are not specific enough to deal with the very specific needs of would-be wheelchair applicants, which need specific ring-fenced funding within the HSE. 

Let’s face it, nearly the entire population have cars – wheels everywhere – but not for those who desperately need them and create no carbon emissions whatsoever. They just want the chance to get going again with improving their mobility — surely we can give them that?     

Maurice Fitzgerald,

Shanbally.