By Róise Collins

A LEADING Donegal cancer care campaigner has expressed frustration over the last-minute rescheduling of a meeting between advocates and hospital representatives, which had been set for Monday.

The meeting was called off on Friday last, with attendees informed that one of the consultants had other commitments and appointments.

But Betty Holmes, Chairperson of Donegal Action for Cancer Care (DACC), now questions the timing of that decision in light of stark figures on cancer treatment times at the hospital that have since emerged.

“At that time I took it in good faith, but I am now wondering was that meeting cancelled because all of this was coming out,” she said

Her comments are in response to a new study by the Irish Cancer Society warning that cancer delays are contributing to avoidable deaths.

The report identifies Letterkenny University Hospital as one of the lowest-ranked in terms of compliance with recommended cancer treatment start times.

This follows another damning revelation, just days earlier, when The Journal Investigates named Letterkenny as the lowest-performing hospital in the country for cancer treatment wait times.

According to the Irish Cancer Society data, in the year from March 2024 to February 2025, only 20 per cent of medical and haemato-oncology patients at Letterkenny were referred for treatment within the recommended 15 working days.

In November 2024, this figure fell to 0 per cent.

During the same period the hospital’s urgent symptomatic breast disease clinic saw less than 60 per cent of patients receiving appointment within the recommended 10 working days, with a low of 5 per cent recorded in December 2024.

Ms Holmes has voiced deep concern over ongoing delays in accessing treatment at Letterkenny University Hospital and is calling for urgent intervention.

She said responsibility has to sit with the hospital management, but primarily with the Saolta Hospital Group, the Department of Health, and the government.

“We need to see what they are going to do to ensure that Letterkenny hospital gets the resources that it needs. This is serious stuff and it needs to be addressed.”

“It’s not about sending our patients down the road to Galway or elsewhere to get their treatments, they need to be able to get it at Letterkenny hospital and it needs to be within the recommended timeframe.”

Ms Holmes, who has spent more than 20 years campaigning for improved cancer services in the county, said she has seen little progress during that time.

“In this time, I have seen no real commitment to Letterkenny Hospital and this is really frightening,” she said.
Despite the recent negative headlines, Ms Holmes praised the dedication and excellence of the staff at LUH, highlighting their commitment to quality and care under pressure.

“This meeting was rescheduled due to a clinical commitment on the part of the Clinical Director of the Cancer Network for HSE West and Northwest and a new date was immediately provided,” said the HSE.