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Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: Delays to colonoscopy tests could be a matter of life or death
This week, we learned that thousands of people have been waiting far too long for vital cancer testing procedures, a problem which seems to be getting worse. Some 2,764 people have waited between 29 and 60 days for an urgent colonoscopy between January and May this year. According to the guidelines issued by the HSE, those with symptoms of bowel cancer should be seen within 28 days. That means some people have been waiting for over twice as long as the recommended time period for this vital intervention. To make matters worse, that number appears to be increasing, as 3,623 people were waiting longer than the recommended timeframe in 2024. The Irish Cancer Society pointed out that in 2017, no patient in Ireland had to wait longer than 28 days for an urgent colonoscopy, yet if the current trend continues through 2025, more than 6,500 people will not be seen within the 28-day period. The society's description of this development as a shocking deterioration in service, which is putting lives at risk, cannot be contradicted. This may seem at first glance yet another health service fiasco, one in a long line of similar disasters. But bowel cancer is a particular challenge. It is the second most common cancer in men, the third most common cancer in women, and the third leading cause of cancer death in Ireland. The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said this months screening from the age of 50 was likely to be effective in terms of reducing deaths from colorectal cancer. However, plans for earlier screening are meaningless if that screening cannot be carried out. The long waiting times for colonoscopies which were revealed this week are a disheartening reminder that even established processes can break down, given the deterioration in waiting times between 2017 and the present. Strategies conceived with the best of intentions count for little if they cannot be put into practice. Failings of a justice system The man responsible for the killing of Irish soldier Private Seán Rooney was sentenced to death at a military tribunal in Beirut, Lebanon, this week. According to Lebanese media reports, Mohammad Ayyad was sentenced to death and fined 100m Lebanese pounds, or approximately €970. The remains of Irish UN peacekeeping soldier Seán Rooney arriving at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnell, Co Dublin, in December 2022. Pte Rooney, from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, was killed on active service when his convoy came under attack in Lebanon. Another defendant was sentenced to three months, while yet another received one month: They were both fined as well. Ayyad was not in court for the sentencing however, while local media have reported that Lebanon has not carried out an execution in decades — so he is likely to receive a prison sentence instead. Pt Rooney, of Newtowncunningham, Donegal, was killed when a UN peacekeeping force was targeted in an attack on their vehicle in at Al-Aqbiya, Lebanon, in December 2022. He was 24 years old. Those responsible have received light sentences, with the exception of one individual who remains at large in the country and did not even have to attend the sentencing. Concerns have been raised repeatedly about the progress of this case, and the verdicts issued this week show the validity of those concerns. A justice system in which a killer does not even have to be present in court when sentenced to death hardly seems fit for purpose. The Rooney family, which has already had to deal with the trauma of losing a loved one, has been badly let down by that justice system. Taoiseach Micheál Martin weighed in on the matter yesterday when saying that the case had taken too long and that some of the sentences issued were unduly lenient. It should also be pointed out, perhaps, that earlier this year the Taoiseach also said: 'Hezbollah are responsible, in my view, for the murder of Seán Rooney.' Some armchair activists might bear that in mind when signalling their advocacy for certain groups. Pt Rooney made the ultimate sacrifice for peace and his family deserve the support of all. What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here New Garda commissioner The next Garda commissioner was announced on Tuesday, with Justin Kelly — who was appointed deputy commissioner for security, strategy, and governance in October 2024 — taking over from the outgoing commissioner, Drew Harris. Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan, incoming Garda commissioner Justin Kelly, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and current Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, at Government Buildings in Dublin as Mr Kelly was announced as the next Garda commissioner. Picture: Liam McBurney/PA The process was far from straightforward, given the reticence of some senior officers to apply for the post because of pension implications. At one point, it was even suggested that those pension implications might mean only applicants outside Ireland would apply for the position. This is not to cast aspersions on such applicants, but at this fraught time in Irish life, it is surely preferable to have someone at the helm of the national police force who is already familiar with the particular challenges facing An Garda Síochána. That is certainly true of Mr Kelly, to judge by his policing background, which includes stints as assistant commissioner with responsibility for serious and organised crime, as well as detective chief superintendent in the Garda counter-terrorism unit. The rise of the far right, the ongoing threat of drugs gangs, the operation of rogue states in Ireland, the shadow cast by cybercrime — these are all challenges requiring urgent attention. Morale and standards within the force will also be scrutinised. Mr Kelly's appointment coincided with reports of a former garda being jailed for seven years for impersonating a colleague online, and inciting men to come to her home and rape her. The new commissioner's in-tray is already full. Best wishes to him. Read More Irish Examiner view: State must be ready to step in
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
More than 2,700 wait over recommended HSE timeframe for urgent colonoscopy
More than 2,700 people across Ireland waited longer than the recommended timeframe for an urgent colonoscopy between January and May this year, figures obtained by RTÉ News show. The Irish Cancer Society has said the delays are putting patients lives at risk. Urgent colonoscopes are required for patients who have symptoms such as weight loss or blood in their stool. HSE guidelines say these people should be seen within 28 days. However, figures show that 2,764 people waited between 29 and 60 days for an urgent colonoscopy between January and May this year. A total of 3,623 people waited over the recommended timeframe of 28 days in 2024. Consultant Gastroenterologist at St James's Hospital in Dublin Finbar MacCarthy said patients in need of an urgent procedure must be seen within the recommended timeframe. He said the number of patients who will ultimately be diagnosed with either a cancer or inflammatory bowel disease is small, but added, that "out of that group of people, there are undoubtedly patients who already have cancers or who already have another bowel disease that requires prompt diagnosis and prompt access to treatment." Dr MacCarthy said hospital capacity needs to increase in line with demand for colonoscopies. "Without an increase in capacity to meet the demand there will inevitably be increasing waiting lists for colonoscopies. "In addition, there are hospitals across the country where the endoscopy unit is significantly curtailed over the winter months in order to facilitate access through the emergency department. This is not a strategy that is tenable in the long term." The Irish Cancer Society described the figures as "extremely worrying". CEO Averil Power said: "In 2017, no one in Ireland waited more than the 28 day target for an urgent colonoscopy, yet this year if the current trend continues, over 6,500 people will. "That's a shocking deterioration in service and it's putting lives at risk. "The Irish Cancer Society is calling on Government to stop these delays now, by providing urgent investment in colonoscopy services nationwide." In a statement, the HSE said a number of initiatives have been developed to reduce waiting lists, including the expansion of capsule endoscopy services. 'So painful, I couldn't stand it' Paul Vickers from Rathcoole in Dublin was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in 2017. Despite signs of serious illness including constant pain, Paul waited over three months for an urgent colonoscopy. He said: "I was having symptoms and like a lot of men my age I was ignoring them, there was blood on the toilet tissue from around October 2016. "My symptoms got that bad I actually collapsed in early February 2017 in the house. I went over to Tallaght A&E and the doctor there that saw me gave me pain killers and Buscopan and told me to go to my own GP for a referral for a colonoscopy." Three months later, in May 2017, Paul finally got an appointment for an urgent colonoscopy but he says there were worrying signs in the weeks leading up to the procedure. "If I wasn't on pain killers, sitting down going to the toilet would have been so painful I couldn't actually stand it. "I would get a huge amount of wind cramps. I was working nights and that in itself was tiring, but dealing with all the stress as well was wearing me out. I actually lost quite a bit of weight during that time." Paul believes if he had been given an appointment for an urgent colonoscopy earlier, his recovery would have been much faster but he is also eager to encourage people with symptoms to go the GP as soon as possible. "In saying that, had I gone in when I got my first symptoms I may not have been diagnosed with cancer, at least not Stage 4 anyway." "It took me three years to recover from everything" Paul says by the time he got the urgent procedure, his symptoms were so bad he was treated as an emergency case. "My colon and large bowel were in such a state that they didn't let me home. They kept me in that day and two days later I got an ostomy bag in to shut my entire large bowel, digestive system down. "It was actually that bad I became an emergency then. I spent that summer on chemo and radiation therapy." Paul is now healthy and is looking forward to the future. "It took me three years to recover from everything, the radiation was quite severe, I was on a lot of radiation five days a week for six weeks and that has left a lot of damage to my large intestine but I have to manage that."
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Health
- RTÉ News
More than 2,700 wait over recommended HSE timeframe for colonoscopy
Figures obtained by RTÉ News show that over 2,700 people across Ireland waited over the recommended timeframe for an urgent colonoscopy between January and May this year. The Irish Cancer Society has said the delays are putting patients lives at risk. Urgent colonoscopes are required for patients who have symptoms such as weight loss or blood in their stool. HSE guidelines say these people should be seen within 28 days. However, figures obtained by RTÉ News show that 2,764 people waited between 29 and 60 days for an urgent colonoscopy between January and May this year. A total of 3,623 people waited over the recommended timeframe of 28 days in 2024. Consultant Gastroenterologist at St James's Hospital in Dublin Finbar MacCarthy said patients in need of an urgent procedure must be seen within the recommended timeframe. "This is a concern, as I said the number of patients who will ultimately be diagnosed with either a cancer or inflammatory bowel disease is small. "But out of that group of people, there are undoubtedly patients who already have cancers or who already have another bowel disease that requires prompt diagnosis and prompt access to treatment." Mr MacCarthy said hospital capacity needs to increase in line with demand for colonoscopies. "Without an increase in capacity to meet the demand there will inevitably be increasing waiting lists for colonoscopies. "In addition, there are hospitals across the country where the endoscopy unit is significantly curtailed over the winter months in order to facilitate access through the emergency department. This is not a strategy that is tenable in the long term." The Irish Cancer Society has described the figures as "extremely worrying". Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power said: "In 2017, no one in Ireland waited more than the 28 day target for an urgent colonoscopy, yet this year if the current trend continues, over 6,500 people will. "That's a shocking deterioration in service and it's putting lives at risk. "The Irish Cancer Society is calling on Government to stop these delays now, by providing urgent investment in colonoscopy services nationwide." In a statement the HSE said a number of initiatives have been developed to reduce waiting lists, including the expansion of capsule endoscopy services. Paul Vickers from Rathcoole in Dublin was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in 2017. Despite signs of serious illness including constant pain, Paul waited over three months for an urgent colonoscopy. He said: "I was having symptoms and like a lot of men my age I was ignoring them, there was blood on the toilet tissue from around October 2016. "My symptoms got that bad I actually collapsed in early February 2017 in the house. I went over to Tallaght A&E and the doctor there that saw me gave me pain killers and Buscopan and told me to go to my own GP for a referral for a colonoscopy." Three months later, in May 2017, Paul finally got an appointment for an urgent colonoscopy but he says there were worrying signs in the weeks leading up to the procedure. "If I wasn't on pain killers, sitting down going to the toilet would have been so painful I couldn't actually stand it. "I would get a huge amount of wind cramps. I was working nights and that in itself was tiring, but dealing with all the stress as well was wearing me out. I actually lost quite a bit of weight during that time." Paul believes if he had been given an appointment for an urgent colonoscopy earlier, his recovery would have been much faster but he is also eager to encourage people with symptoms to go the GP as soon as possible. "In saying that, had I gone in when I got my first symptoms I may not have been diagnosed with cancer, at least not Stage 4 anyway." "It took me three years to recover from everything" Paul said by the time he got the urgent procedure, his symptoms were so bad he was treated as an emergency case. "My colon and large bowel were in such a state that they didn't let me home. They kept me in that day and two days later I got an ostomy bag in to shut my entire large bowel, digestive system down. "It was actually that bad I became an emergency then. I spent that summer on chemo and radiation therapy." Paul is now healthy and is looking forward to the future. "It took me three years to recover from everything, the radiation was quite severe, I was on a lot of radiation five days a week for six weeks and that has left a lot of damage to my large intestine but I have to manage that."
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Young Cork mother (26) battling cancer organises Nathan Carter gig for vital Irish charity
Natasha O'Byrne is fundraising for the Irish Cancer Society because of the invaluable support they have provided three generations of her family in their respective cancer journeys Country music royalty Nathan Carter will headline a fundraising concert in aid of the Irish Cancer Society in Cork on Wednesday. The Concert for Cancer was created by Natasha O'Byrne (26) from Innishannon, a mother of two who has been battling bowel cancer since November. Related topics Martin Mongan
Irish Independent
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Wexford man aims to raise €100,000 for charity by 2027
Chris Proby, a marathon runner started organising the event in 2019. 'We always offer a virtual option to try and raise as much as we can for charity,' he said. The event gives runners the option to take on 5k or 10k. 'It was such a nice day for it as well – it's not an easy course because it's hilly, but everyone does it whether they walk, run, or jog,' Chris said. In 2015, Chris was diagnosed with stage four cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. His diagnosis inspired him to organise the run. 'I decided that when I beat cancer, I would use my story as a runner to create some sort of positive event to raise money for charity and to bring people together, maybe going through their own difficulties' Chris said. Now in its eighth year, Chris said he has raised a total of over €89,500 since 2019, and is hoping to continue to increase the number even more. All funds raised go towards Arklow Cancer Support and the Irish Cancer Society. Chris said his goal is to reach €100,000 in 2027. 'In 2027, its going to be my 10 year anniversary of being all clear,' he said. Chris went on to thank all involved with the event. 'I just want to thank all my family, my friends, and everyone who supports the event, because every year there's a brilliant atmosphere, and I feel really lucky to have such great support.' 'The sponsors, the volunteers, and everyone that gets involved as well – I love that it's a such a community event,' he added.
