Every three minutes in Ireland someone is told they have cancer, says Irish Cancer Society
Sunscreen dispensers should be funded for all public spaces so everyone can access this expensive but vital protection against skin cancer, it also urged.
Connected to this, it called for a national awareness campaign on the risks linked with using sunbeds. Playgrounds, creches, and schools need support to build shade structures in outdoor spaces to help children stay safe as temperatures rise.
The society's pre-budget submission also calls for a 5% increase in the HSE's capital budget. This would support it in building more cancer wards, surgery theatres, endoscopy units, and upgrade scanning equipment.
CEO Averil Power warned these changes and many others, including better funding for the society, are needed to address the rising need for cancer care in Ireland.
'The OECD and European Commission country cancer profile for Ireland shows that Irish people are more likely to get – and die – from cancer in Ireland than in many other European countries,' she said.
'We have the second-highest rate of new cancer diagnoses in the EU, and the third-highest cancer mortality rate in western Europe. These shocking statistics must serve as a wake-up call to Government.'
Averil Power: 'We have the second-highest rate of new cancer diagnoses in the EU, and the third-highest cancer mortality rate in western Europe.' Picture Andres Poveda
The society's county-level data shows in Cork during 2023, some 3,208 people were diagnosed with cancer and 1,164 people died. In Kerry there were 919 new diagnoses and 373 deaths from cancer.
In Limerick, some 1,051 new cancer diagnoses were made and 447 cancer patients died. Across Tipperary, 925 new diagnoses were made and 405 cancer patients died.
In Waterford, there were 699 new cancer diagnoses and 315 deaths, while there were 653 new diagnoses in Clare and 281 deaths from cancer during 2023.
More supports are also needed from the Department of Social Protection to help with the costs of cancer and changed living circumstances, the submission said.
This should include automatic entitlement to supports such as the household benefits package for cancer patients with a terminal diagnosis.
The criteria for getting the Partial Capacity Benefit should be expanded to make it easier for employers to allow to people return to work in a phased manner.
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