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Cancer respects no gender, creed or culture
Remember time is a very precious gift.
For a few inspiritional quotes visit our page
 “Just for you”  ************
THE DACC OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON THURSDAY 27TH MARCH 08 AS A MARK OF RESPECT ON THE DEATH OF THE VICE CHAIRPERSON’S BROTHER IN LAW.
We extend our sincere sympathy to Eamon,Lynn & family.
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DACC have very serious concerns regarding how men feel about the lack of support for them when faced with cancer. This was findings in a recent report by Dr Eilis Mc Caughan, University of Ulster.
DACC are inclusive of all people and wish to make it clear to men and their families that we are here for them in whatever way we can within our remit.
Our information book “You Are Not Alone” can provide some practical information that maybe of help to them. Remember this book was written be cancer patients for cancer patients.
DACC extend a very warm invitation to men and their families to contact us to see how we can best support them in an envoirment that suits their needs.
Please do not feel you are on your own, we can gain support and guidance from each other.
“You can’t always stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. Sometimes you have to go to them”. ~Winnie the Pooh
Office number 074 91 28400 or email us at equal@dacc.ie
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DACC wish to remind the public regarding submissions for the Carers' Strategy that’s being developed
Members of the public, particularly family and informal carers, are being encouraged to participate in the consultation process for a new National Carers’ Strategy.
This strategy will ‘set out the Government’s vision’ for family and informal carers. It will establish a set of goals and actions relating to areas such as income support, healthcare, housing and social inclusion.
There are an estimated 150,000 carers in Ireland today, around one-third of whom are fulltime. However many receive little or no financial aid. This is despite the fact that carers in the home save the Government an estimated €1.5 billion per year.
It is important that carers use this opportunity to have their say.
Closing date is the 18th April 08.
Further details on our National News Page March or contact the Dept of Social & Family Affairs.
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For some great social occasions, A Golf Classic, - All you golfers! Get phoning please! and to Dance the Night Away,- Get not only your “Huckle Buck Shoes” but your dance tickets now, an Art Exhibition, full of vibrant colours worth a visit -check our page on Upcoming Events for further details
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DACC ask “are you aware of some of the excellent services we have at Letterkenny General Hospital”?
If not, see some of these listed on our page
Letterkenny General Hospital.
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There were ninety eight new cases of prostate cancer in Donegal in 2005
That's according to the latest figures released by the Irish Cancer Society which show that there are approximately 1,370 new cases of prostate cancer in Ireland every year.
Donegal Action for Cancer Care wish to inform men of the importance of going to their GP’s if they have any concerns.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in Irish men, after skin cancer.
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Letterkenny General Hospital as a Centre of Excellence serving the North West of Ireland on a
Cross Border basis”.
“Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.”
William Arthur Ward
Radiation - Letterkenny General Hospital!!!
Letterkenny General Hospital - Radiation!!!
We in DACC have a Donegal bias and make no apology for it!
If you think you won’t get cancer, you probaly think you don’t need to read this!
Are you aware that when our Government talk about radiation for the North West they are talking about Letterkenny or Altnagelvin Hospitals?
Have you thought about how this will affect our Cancer Patients in Donegal, who tomorrow could be you?
Why did 15,000 people stand in the rain and wind in May 06 in the Town Park in Letterkenny?
Were you one of these people?
Please scroll down this page to where “DACC urgently ask” for further information.
DACC are asking “Why is our webpage
“Donegal Politicans Say”
seriously lacking in comments”
We ask why is this? Are they saying nothing about cancer services for Letterkenny General Hospital, or are we just not receiving their news releases?
We extend a warm invitation to call into our office
and join us for a cup of tea. We will do our best to see how we may help &support you.
Monday to Thursday from 10am- 2pm.
Friday 10am -1.30pm
Office closed Easter Monday 24th March 08
Phone 074 91 28400
Ireland has the highest incidence rate of oesophageal cancer in Europe for men and women, affecting between 350 and 400 people a year.
For more information, visit www.lollipopday.ie
“The doctor-patient relationship is one of the most important relationships there is and it needs to be ‘nurtured and protected”, a leading breast cancer expert has said. For more on this please read our page on National News Articles, Feb.
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DACC urgently ask that the people of Donegal make sure that our politicans hear the 4 very important words for cancer care in Donegal at present:
Letterkenny General Hospital - Radiation,
Radiation- Letterkenny General Hospital.
Please, Please, start shouting it from the rooftops!
Write letters to Minister Harney & An Taosieach, Bertie Ahern, whatever it takes, make sure you do your bit.
Can you afford not to?
Why won’t our Irish Government invest our money in Letterkenny General Hospital for radiation services on a Cross Border basis when they are considering spending it elsewhere?
We never said they could, did YOU?
Our Government and politican’s are making decisions for us without consulting with the people it affects AGAIN!
Please scroll down for our list of questions
DACC are asking the following questions and we recommend that you the people of Donegal should ask the same ones of our Government, politicans and our Health Service in the context of developing radiation services in the North West- Letterkenny or Altnagelvin.
Why can’t Cross Border go two ways into Donegal instead of only being a one way process out of Donegal?
What is critical mass and why is it a one way process? We are more than happy to welcome our friends/ neighbours in the 6 Counties to Donegal.
Where are all the people who called for radiation at Letterkenny General Hospital? Indeed the people who’s call DACC was established in response to!
What happened to the fears that cancer services at Letterkenny General would be downgraded if we didn’t get radiation?
Are DACC the only people who want radiation, best care for our patients at our own General Hospital?
What about our new Breast Surgeon, will he stay if we leave ourselves where cancer services could be downgraded? What will this do for staff morale?
Again we ask, “ Why did 15,000 people stand in the rain and wind in May 06 in the Town Park in Letterkenny?”
Why are our Government so reluctant to build on the “Excellent Services” they tell us that THEY put in Letterkenny General Hospital?
Do they now think that these “Excellent Services” aren’t worth building/investing on/in?
When will it be Donegal’s, a border county affected by 30 years of the troubles in the 6 counties, turn to have an investment by the Irish Government in proportion to the millions they have invested in the 6 counties?
Be clear, paramount to DACC is Best Care for cancer patients but we believe that care can be best provided with radiation at Letterkenny General Hospital on a Cross Border basis to serve the North West, again building on the Excellent Services we already have there.
You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?' George Bernard Shaw.
DACC agree with George Bernard Shaw’s sentiment, thats how we feel regarding Letterkenny General Hospital as A Centre of Excellence, Why not?
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DACC ask who are making the decisions for our cancer patients in light of us now having Prof. John Crowne’s statement ( Sun 27th Jan 08) regarding the need for a cancer centre in the North West. DACC are inclined to agree with Prof Crowne regarding how decisions are being made. Prof Crowne and Prof Niall O’ Higgins, (Prof O’ Higgins 21st Dec 07) Cancer Specialists, asking questions on how decisions are being made does nothing to reassure DACC that the health & wellbeing of our cancer patients is top of our Governments agenda.
DACC have serious concerns for cancer patients and ask who and how are the decisions made after reading Prof Niall O’ Higgins interview with irishhealth.com where he states that he doesn’t know how the population figures or locations for Centre’s of Excellence came about. Also as travel can be a major issue for cancer patients in the North West what does Prof O’ Higgins mean by “geographical anomalies”?
“The new thinking on the distribution of cancer centres is that it should be one per 500,000 population. I do not really know how this decision was reached, nor do I know how the locations were chosen. It may be a good decision but there seem to be geographical anomalies.”Prof Niall O’ Higgins
Read this interview on our National News Articles page January 08.
DACC say a better underdstanding is needed of how the travel issue affects cancer patients,their families and indeed cancer itself for people living in the North West, in light of Professor Tom Keane’s comments regarding cancer centres and the issue of patients travel.
Professor Tom Keane was addressing the Oireachtas Health Committee and said he was surprised that the debate on national cancer centres has been focused on the issue of patient travel. For what he said please see our page on Local Radio news.
Donegal Action for Cancer Care have serious concerns for the treatment of cancer patients in the North West after reading that Cancer Centre roll-outs are already years behind.
Hundreds of public cancer patients will have to go to private hospitals for vital radiotherapy next year, after the government's roll-out of national centres has fallen years behind schedule.
A new progress report from the Department of Finance has confirmed that specialist radiotherapy centres due to be up and running in Dublin, Cork and Galway by 2011 will not be a reality until 2014.
See our page on National News Articles for more info.
NW patients could wait over two years for Breast Check
Donegal Action for Cancer Care says it is extremely disappointed with news that women in the North West will have to wait for more than two years before they can avail of free Breastcheck.
The Minister for Health Mary Harney announced that Breast Check’s free screening service won't be fully rolled out for another 27 months.
Paddy Hume is a spokesperson for DACC.
He says the group were assured by the government that breast check would be implemented in Donegal by last September.See our page on Local News for Press Release.
DACC are delighted to welcome Prof Tom Keane to his new post. DACC will be updating Prof Keane on their proposal to develop Letterkenny General Hospital as a Centre of Excellence on a Cross Border basis and availing of his expertise as recommended to them by Minister Mary Harney.
For information on Prof. Tom Keane, Interim Director of the National Cancer Programme visit our page on
National News Articles.
The number of women in Ireland who have died as a result of cervical cancer has increased by 1.5% every year since 1978, the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has said.
The IFPA is calling on people to sign a ‘Stop Cervical Cancer’ petition at http://www.cervicalcancerpetition.eu
DACC wish to stress to women how important it is to regularly attend clinics for smear tests and to discuss vaccination with their doctors or nurse if they are unsure about cervical cancer.
DACC meet with Minister Mary Harney in Dublin to propose 9th Centre of Excellence at Letterkenny General Hospital on a Cross Border basis.
Please see page on Cancer Services to read press release, book presentation photo and thoughts on this visit.
DACC are bringing “The Big Bus” to Derry May 08
DACC thank you for all your support in the last year and may we together, achieve improved cancer services for our people in 2008.
Don’t forget our cancer information book is available through our office, phone or email for a copy and we will post it to you.
We would like to make it clear that this book should not be confused with the HSE book of the same name which is a suicide prevention support book.
The DACC book can also be viewed by clicking on box below to the right.
Cup of tea picture courtesy of www.Free.Foto.com
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