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Prostate Cancer Patients’ Charter
The Irish Cancer Society launched Ireland’s first Prostate Cancer Patients’ Charter at its annual conference for Prostate Cancer survivors in Croke Park on Saturday, November 5th, 2011. The Charter sets out the standard of care and service that men with prostate cancer should expect from diagnosis through to treatment and follow-up.
We are encouraging men to use the Patients’ Charter as a reference at each stage of their cancer journey to ensure they are receiving the best information and support.
The Charter provides us with a benchmark for best practice and we will advocate for continued improvements in the way prostate cancer patients are cared for at every stage of their journey.
The Charter was based on the findings of the largest ever survey of prostate cancer survivors in Ireland which the Irish Cancer Society carried out in June/July. The survey found that low levels of information and support at almost every stage of the cancer journey has led men to make life-changing decisions without fully comprehending the severity of the physical and psychological side-effects.
The findings clearly highlight some areas where improvement has to be made so that men are supported, informed, and their experience improved. Clinical changes, such as providing access to a specialist nurse in support of side-effects, would make significant positive changes to a cancer journey.
Click here to read the results of the survey
Left to Right John McCormack, CEO Irish Cancer Society, Marty Morrissey and Frank Brennan, Chairperson of Men Against Cancer.
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Government Tax on Tobacco
We are disappointed by the Government’s failure to generate an additional €68 million in revenue to the Exchequer in the recent budget by raising the price of a packet of cigarettes by €1. The 25c increase announced by the Government was not the sharp spike in price that is proven to discourage people from smoking.
The budget was also missed opportunity to raise over €12 million by doubling the corporation tax rate on the tobacco industry to 25%. The tobacco industry has increased the price of cigarettes every year for the last ten years even though they consistently lobby against tax increases. This has led to significant profits for the industry. Meanwhile, it costs the State €2 billion a year to provide health services to smokers.
Only 78% of the price of cigarettes is Government tax. This means the tobacco industry makes the highest after-tax profit margin than in any other EU country. We believe that it is time the tobacco industry’s profits are reinvested into the health services that are struggling as a result of smoking related diseases.
Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable deaths in Ireland and must be tackled. Tobacco kills more people in Ireland than road accidents, suicides, drugs, farm accidents and AIDS put together. Smoking causes 30% of all cancers, including 95% of all lung cancers and causes three times the risk of heart attack compared to non-smokers. Overall 5,700 people die in Ireland every year from smoking-related illnesses including cancer, heart and respiratory disease.
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X-HALE Youth Awards Annual Expo 2011
On Wednesday the 2nd of November 2011 the X-HALE Youth Awards Annual Expo 2011 took place in Croke Park.
The 2011 Award winners exhibited their projects at a national level and highlighted their creative and unique ways to tackle smoking amongst young people in their communities.
7 groups from around Ireland were awarded this year. Congratulations to the award winners who did a great job presenting their projects on the day.
The X-HALE Youth Awards is a project by the Irish Cancer Society which works with young people to address the issue of smoking in their communities. The Awards aim to empower young people to tackle issues around smoking by supporting the development of positive youth-led projects in their communities.
For more information on X-HALE visit www2.cancer.ie/xhale
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Colonoscopy waiting times decrease in advance of the roll out of Bowel Cancer Screening
The total number of people waiting more than three months for a colonoscopy has fallen for the first time this year. This is attributable to the new Waiting List Initiative overseen by the Special Delivery Unit in the Department of Health.
There has been an almost 18% decrease in the number of people on colonoscopy waiting lists. We welcome this development as it is critical that waiting lists are cut in advance of bowel cancer screening which is due to be rolled out mid-2012. Bowel Cancer screening for those aged 60-69 will begin in 2012 at 15 designated centres across the country.
The 50 to 74 age group also needs to be included as this is a crucial step towards ensuring that more people are diagnosed early, treated effectively and survive this disease.
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Sunbed Legislation Update
We have been campaigning for the regulation of sunbeds for a number of years. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and has increased in Ireland by over 66% in the past 10 years. Using sunbeds before the age of 30 increases the risk of melanoma by 75%.
The Minister for Health, James Reilly indicated his commitment to sunbed regulation and legislation was expected by the end of 2011. Legislation is now not expected until 2012.
There were 756 new cases of and 144 people died of malignant melanoma skin cancer in 2008. Legislation is urgently required. We will be continuing to advocate for the enactment of legislation to ban sunbed use by those under 18 and those with Skin Type 1.
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World Cancer Leaders’ Summit 2011
Cancer experts from around the world gathered in Dublin in November to attend World Cancer Leaders Summit. The summit was hosted by the Irish Cancer Society in association with the National Cancer Control Programme. International cancer leaders ratified a landmark resolution to reduce the social and economic burden of cancer for future generations.
By signing the ‘Dublin Resolution’ delegates committed to reducing the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by 2025. The resolution built on the United Nations Political Declaration on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which was published in September 2011.
The Dublin Resolution spells out the measurable actions required by governments and societies. These are:
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Developing time-bound indicators by 2012 that address the increasing cancer epidemic.
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Promoting the inclusion of cancer-related targets in the post-2015 Millennium Development Goals.
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Promoting local policies and approaches that will strengthen and facilitate multi-sectoral action against the disease.
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Promoting sustainable and adequate resourcing in the areas of cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and care.
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50% rise in cancer cases
Research published by the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) in September showed that there has been 50% rise in cancer cases. The research highlighted the scale of a growing and urgent public health issue which requires a solution-based Government response that specifically addresses the ability of people to significantly reduce cancer risk.
The research showed an increase in the numbers being diagnosed with cancer since the 1990’s. This provides us with evidence that the systems in place to detect cancer are working. Lifestyle factors such as obesity and lack of physical activity account for 30% of all cancers. Smoking is also a significant public health problem, causing a further 30% of all cancers and nine out of ten lung cancers.
The research showed more women are now dying from lung cancer than breast cancer. This is due to the tobacco industry specifically targeting women through highly effective marketing campaigns and the feminisation of tobacco products.
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Ireland’s survival rates amongst the lowest in the OECD
The Health at a Glance report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), published in November, found that Ireland has the lowest survival rate from cervical cancer and the second lowest survival rate for colo-rectal cancer in the OECD.
The disappointing survival rates can be partly explained by the health service’s delay in rolling out screening services. Cervical screening was only introduced in Ireland in 2008, 20 years after it was introduced in the UK.
In terms of improvements in the rates of survival from breast cancer; we had the one of the greatest increases with a five year survival rate of 80.3%.
The report found that Ireland has the second highest incidence of cancer in the OECD. The report highlights the need for the extension of cancer screening to age groups most at risk. Lifestyle behaviors which cause cancer also need to be addressed.
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Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year from the Advocacy Team
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