'It cannot continue on voluntary contributions': Cork cancer charity still hoping for State funds

A WEST Cork-based charity which organises thousands of coach trips each year, bringing cancer patients from around the county to Cork University Hospital for treatment, is still waiting for funding from the Government despite a pledge more than two years ago from Tánaiste Micheál Martin that the option of funding would be investigated.

Mr Martin was responding at the time to a query from Cork South West Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan who conveyed the request of Cancer Connect in Bantry for about €100,000 to carry on its service, which was carrying up to 160 passengers per week to the hospital.

In his response, the then taoiseach acknowledged the “fantastic service” being provided, and said that the minister for health had heard the Cork South West TD’s “eloquent plea”.

“Additional resources have been allocated to the National Cancer Strategy,” Mr Martin said. “Within that overall fund and through the HSE locally, we will see whether we can give some funding to this fantastic organisation.”

The matter was raised again in the Dáil in recent days by the leader of Independent Ireland and Cork South West TD, Michael Collins, who said that the organisation had not received any funding since meeting Mr Martin in Cork more than two years ago.

“It [Cancer Connect] cannot continue on voluntary contributions from the people of Cork county or West Cork, it has to get State aid,” said Mr Collins.

“€100,000 is not a lot to ask for having been in operation for 10 years, if not more.”

Increase in costs 

When The Echo spoke to Cancer Connect manager Helen O’Driscoll this week, she disclosed that the organisation had written two letters to the minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, since April of this year, appealing for funding to be delivered.

Ms O’Driscoll said that the costs for the organisation had increased by 50% to €300,000 since the original request was made in 2022, as the organisation had increased the number of trips it carried out as well as adding to the number of volunteer drivers it had on its books, but said its ask remained the same as this would provide it with the necessary security it needed to keep its doors open.

The lack of funding, she said, led to a lack of confidence that the service could continue year after year.

“There’s no security for us, we don’t have financial security, you can’t run a company without knowing,” said Ms O’Driscoll.

She said that some passengers take a full year or more availing of the completely free Cancer Connect service.

“Some are with us for more than 10 years,” she said.

“You need to be able to start and finish their journey with them.”

She paid tribute to the community for its generosity and ongoing fundraising for the service.

'I'm not giving up'

Deputy Christopher O’Sullivan said that he had been in touch with Mr Donnelly as late as last week to continue pressing him to secure the funding for Cancer Connect.

“I’m not giving up,” he said.

One of the issues believed to be obstructing the funding to Cancer Connects is that it is not a member of a group of support organisations called the National Cancer Control Programme Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres, for which funding of €3m was announced in November last year.

The manager of Cancer Connect said that she understood that €300,000 of this funding would be set aside for “Cancer Connect and similar groups”.

“I couldn’t tell you if that means three groups or 15 groups but we were named alongside the alliance group,” she said.

A response has been sought from Tánaiste Micheál Martin.

In a response from the Department of Health, a spokesman said an allocation of an “additional €3m in funding” for the National Cancer Control Programme Alliance of Community Cancer Support Services had been secured by Mr Donnelly in 2024.

“This once-off funding will help these voluntary and charity organisation centres to deliver services directly to cancer patients and their families,” the spokesperson said.

“Centres wishing to become members of the alliance — and to avail of the support and quality assurance provided through this initiative — are encouraged to engage with the [National Cancer Control Programme] on membership.”

Ms O’Driscoll said that she has already contacted the programme.

“I asked how we could become part of the alliance, and I’m still waiting to hear,” she said.

The Echo attempted to contact the programme and was put through to a communications office for the National Screening Service.

Subsequent attempts to place a call to the correct communications office were met with failure.

A query was also sent to the media agency which manages communications for the HSE. It has advised that a response will be sought.