Cancer Patient who Threatened Sit-in Dies

sligo | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Wednesday May 21, 2008 11:18

by Kerry researcher

A woman who threatened a sit-in until she was given a hospital bed for a vital cancer operation died yesterday.

From The Irish Times 20/05/08

'A woman who threatened a sit-in until she was given a hospital bed for a vital cancer operation died yesterday.
Josie D'Arcy died at the age of 64 in Sligo General Hospital just seven weeks after first high-lighting her plight. She said at the time that she was feared a cancerous tumour in her right kidney diagnosed five weeks earlier would spread because of the delay in admitting her to hospital although she was a private patient.
Planned surgery to remove the kidnay was twice put back. She was eventually admitted to St. James' Hospital in Dublin after threatening "to lie on the floor" in order to get a bed.

When she finally had surgery doctors discovered complications that meant removal of the kidney was not an option. Instead, they carried out a different procedure to "immobilise" the tumour by closing off the blood supply to it.
Josie, a publican from East Port, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, was assured the six-week delay between diagnosis and eventual surgery was not to blame for the failure to remove the kidney.
In her last interview just over a month ago she said: "The original idea was to remove the kidney. The cancer was stuck on to it like ivy, aggressive."
"They decided if they pulled it out it would break away into different parts of the body. So they closed me up and a few days later carried out the immobilisation procedure."
"I asked if the delay in getting me a hospital bed might have played any part. I was told No."
"But I don't know if it made a difference. I'd say if it was an aggressive tumour it did make a difference. Six weeks is a long time."

Ann McGowan, a longtime friend and cancer survivor assisted Josie also. She is a staunch campaigner for the retention of cancer services in the north west, including the shut-down of cancer services in Sligo General Hospital recently which attracted a 3000-people strong protest in Sligo.

How is this allowed in this day and age for a seriously ill woman to die because of the delay in receiving the basic right to have a hospital bed?
It's a disgrace.
See also: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/grandmother-who....html
and the Irish Times if you have a subscription.

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Comments (1 of 1)

Whats the matter with this GOVERNMENT

by Eamonn O'Coilea'in

Fri May 23, 2008 01:11

Thr wealth that is in Ireland is not being spent wisely, For people to die waiting for a hospital bed is totally unexceptable, the waste that is being wasted by the present (OLD) Gov. is unreal, they waste millions and yet people die while waiting for medical care, IT'S Just not exceptable any longer. May god bless her sole as she waited so long for treatment, I just hope she didn't suffer to much, The present Gov. must stop all the waste and treat it's citizens with common dignity that they deserve, even when they are dieing with cancer, My heart goes out to the family and friends who are at a lose due to cut backs and mismanagment of the health system. Will it get worse as tighter cut backs continue in the health service.The old gov. gave away our natural resourses worth billions an billions that could have been used for health an education, it's not to late to take back what belongs to the IRISH PEOPLE and use it wisely for the people of Ireland instead of gas and oil companies making more record BILLION EURO profits. ITS REALLY SAD !

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Cancer Patient who Threatened Sit-in Dies

Comments (1 of 1)