Cancer care in Mayo, Sligo & Donegal.

There are 8 cancer care centres “of excellence” planned in the National Cancer Strategy. To cater for the complete absence of any centre north of a line between Dublin & Galway, a satellite centre will be established in Letterkenny. It’s intended that all initial diagnostics and surgical management will take place at the cancer centres.

Professor Tom Keane has reluctantly accepted that an exception had been made for Letterkenny, but believes that the best and most logical solution would have been a cross border centre in Derry.

I agree with Prof. Keane with regard to cross-border facilities for those in the Derry catchment area of North Donegal, assuming that Derry would have a sufficient case-load to meet his centre of excellence requirements.

So instead of having a satellite centre in Letterkenny, why not have it in Sligo instead? Many residents of Co Donegal would be as close to Sligo as they are to Letterkenny.
The concept of having a satellite centre has been accepted, so its location should not be a major bone of medical or political contention.

A Sligo satellite could serve people from Sligo, South Donegal, North Mayo, Leitrim etc..
South Mayo could go to Galway, North Donegal to Derry or Sligo.

The National Cancer Strategy would still be intact and the major political problem would be defused.
No face would be lost on any side with such an honourable and logical compromise.
This one is free.