Debate contribution: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales: Cancer Diagnosis
Debate contribution by Ms Sorcha Eastwood on .
- MLA
- Ms Sorcha Eastwood
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 8 April 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Matter of the Day
- Heading
- Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales: Cancer Diagnosis
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4480986
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank Mr Dunne for tabling the Matter of the Day. He is absolutely right: only a few short weeks ago, we were in the Chamber having the exact same conversation about the King. I remember where I was on the Friday that the news broke that the Princess had cancer, and it took my breath away because we do not associate such announcements with those people. They seem, somehow, above it all in a way. We seem to think that those whom we put in those positions will never be impacted by life, but, of course, that is not cancer. Cancer impacts us all. In the short time available, I want to look at the fact that one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. At the minute, we cannot say that our services reflect that demand, and that must change. I also want to draw attention to the work of the Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition, which is doing really important and fantastic work that gives coherence and articulation to that sector. Only 89% of cancer patients started treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat, when the target is 98%. Only 40% of patients who were urgently referred for breast cancer were seen by a specialist within 14 days, which is nowhere near the target. No one will disagree with the idea that we should prioritise cancer services and cancer patients. That is just not going to happen; we all know how terrible a disease it is. We must now put that sentiment and those words into action. Health and cancer are completely non-political, and every one of us can agree on that. I look forward to working with every Member in the House to make sure that we never miss those targets again and that we move forward. We must put more money into funding the treatment of childhood cancers, which are one of the least funded and researched areas of cancer.
330 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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