THE health service stands indicted of yet again failing people who are at their most vulnerable.
A young Clare woman has this week bravely spoken out about her traumatic experience of getting a special bra after undergoing a mastectomy.
Aileen Delaney related her story after a number of breast cancer patients told of difficulties they had in securing appropriate bras, at a public meeting organised by Clare Women’s Network.
Aileen, who got breast cancer in September 2008 when she was five months pregnant with her second child, had a full mastectomy about a month later.
After the surgical procedure, she was given a bra but it was “like a vest” and she couldn’t wear a mastectomy bra until she was not as sore. It wasn’t until the week before Christmas that she got the mastectomy bra and prosthesis. However, after giving birth to her second child in early January 2009, she ran into difficulties as the size of her breast had reduced after the birth and the prosthesis was too big.
On enquiring about a new one, she was asked why she needed a prosthesis again so soon and why couldn’t the one she had do? A series of phone calls and letters from her GP and oncologist sorted things out.
“You shouldn’t have to wait almost two months for a bra and then, your allowance is only two bras for the year,” she said.
Unfortunately, Aileen’s story is fairly typical of many women who have experienced breast cancer. It was endorsed by a number of breast cancer patients at the Ennis meeting, who described their problems securing appropriate bras, as well as medical cards, to cover treatment into the future.
Cold and calculated, the national policy, according to the Mid-West HSE, is that all breast cancer patients should receive one prosthesis and two bras from the hospital they had their breast surgery in, regardless of whether they have a medical card or not.
After this, patients with medical cards may get their next bras and prosthesis from community services, while those without medical cards must bear the cost themselves.
Expressing shock to learn some Clare breast cancer sufferers had experienced difficulties obtaining the standard allowance of two mastectomy bras from the HSE, Councillor Patrica McCarthy said, “A woman should not be made feel she is begging for something she is entitled to. It can be difficult for women to adapt after a mastectomy and it is important they are left with a sense of worth and value.”
The specific cases outlined in Ennis should be laid before Health Minister Dr James O’Reilly. Names are far more effective than mere statistics and might perhaps spark a review of how this particular service operates.

Summer beams for Shannon

A WEEK after the publication of the Booz Report on the future of State airports, which recommended that Shannon be separated from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), comes the announcement of the airport’s summer schedule.
The schedule shows all is not entirely gloomy at Shannon Airport and  there are still opportunities to grow business there. From the beginning of April to late October, 1.2 million seats will be available to 34 direct destinations.
Some are charters, others are scheduled flights and it is in this area there are opportunities to increase inward passenger traffic. Support must come from every possible quarter to achieve this goal.
Needless to say, it is crucial in the first instance to get people from the Mid-West and a considerable distance beyond to make Shannon their airport of choice, whenever possible. With improved access, it is within striking distance of most parts of the country and users do not have the same angst as when they have to deal with the hassle of flying out of Dublin.
Now, with the recommendation to cut Shannon away from the DAA, it is more important than ever to strive to rebuild passenger numbers.
An upbeat Shannon Airport acting director, Niall MacCarthy, said despite the difficult global aviation markets and local economic challenges, they will have a busy summer.
New on Shannon’s list of destinations are Bodrum in Turkey and Rennes in France and important US links will be re-established. Aer Lingus will be returning with their transatlantic services to New York JFK and Boston in the summer, while Delta will be resuming the JFK link. These complement the year-round Continental flights to Newark.
Also available will be long haul and holiday offers directly from Shannon, in conjunction with Gohop.ie.
Meanwhile, some members of Clare County Council are not exactly over the moon regarding the Booz Report, primarily because some sections, which contained commercially sensitive information, were not released to the public by the Department of Transport.
The preferred option for Shannon is that it be separated from the DAA and be taken over by a holding company, which could include Clare County Council, Limerick County Council and Shannon Development. Minister Leo Varadkar is expected to confirm this before Easter.
At a Strategic Policy Committee for Community, Enterprise, Tourism and Emergency Services meeting this week, members and director of services, Ger Dollard, felt due to the gaps in information available, it is impossible to give an informed view on what happens next.
This is somewhat ironic in that, for years, the council has been venturing ideas about how the airport should be run and seeking more of a direct involvement.
The concerns raised prompted Fine Gael Councillor Joe Arkins to remark, “You always have to be careful what you wish for”. The option favoured by Booz accord with the submission made by Clare County Council last year, he noted. However, he said it is hard to imagine that local stakeholders would take on the airport’s debt.
What’s the take on the report in the wider region? Clare hotelier John Madden is well placed to gauge opinions on that front. Most people, he suggested, agreed with the conclusions reached in the report.
At the strategic policy meeting, he said he felt the report shows “the DAA has been no help to Shannon whatsoever”.
Quite rightly, Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes wants people to take a step back before entering into further debate on the issue. “Due diligence is critical before any rash decision be made,” he said.
Despite reservations, the committee wants the county council to remain involved in discussions on the airport’s future. Councillors know only too well that the county’s economic future is inextricably linked to Shannon and that they must always be vigilant in respect of changes, to ensure that they are in the best interest of the airport.
It will be three weeks or so before Minister Varadkar’s big announcement and if it is along expected lines, Clare County Council will certainly have to be brought into the loop regarding sensitive information. A full private briefing would, no doubt, help the council make an informed decision as to its involvement in a new Shannon Airport authority.