Community

During the Coronavirus pandemic, some cancer patients who hold a medical card and would otherwise be eligible for a wig grant from the HSE have been unable to attend for fittings due to current Coronavirus restrictions. As a result, these patients have been unable to access wigs and hair pieces.  To address this, the HSE have agreed to provide an additional grant of €80 for medical card holders who ordinarily qualify for a wig grant from the HSE. This funding will be available for patients to purchase headwear such as headscarves, bandanas, or other headwear that can be accessed without need for a fitting.  Further information on this financial grant: This is an €80 payment to be used by eligible patients who hold a medical card and cannot attend wig fittings due to COVID-19. This funding is available to purchase headwear that does not require fittings e.g. headscarves, turbans, bandanas and other headwear.  This funding will not decrease the monetary value of a patients’ grant entitlement to a wig/ hair piece when they are eventually able to attend for a fitting. The €80 grant can be accessed in the same way that the regular wig grant is accessed i.e. patients will need to present their medical card and a letter from their GP to a HSE-registered retailer who would apply to the relevant local HSE Community Health Organisation (CHO) on their behalf for headwear. The relevant CHO will then determine a patients’ eligibility in line with eligibility criteria for the existing HSE wig grant for medical card holders.  Patients should source headwear from a HSE-registered wig supplier. These are retailers who are familiar with the HSE grant scheme and already apply to local CHOs on behalf of patients to avail of the regular HSE wig grant scheme.  Patients should contact their preferred HSE-registered retailer to discuss logistics re orders i.e. phone/ online, and the best way to make selections. Patients can speak to their local CHO for further details on accessing this payment. For more information, contact cancernurseline@irishcancer.ie

Hi, I just wanted to share with anyone who might be worried about undergoing removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes. I had both ovaries and tubes removed on Tuesday and am now on Saturday, four days post op. I had the surgery done as a preventative measure due to a very high family risk of breast and ovarian cancer. I am feeling great post the procedure - tired and sore - but great. I was lost menopause pre surgery which obviously helps, however please dont be scared if you need to have the surgery - it's all absolutely fine. If anyone has any questions on the procedure or anything connected with this just ask me and I will be happy to share.

HI I am looking for advice on how to prepare my daughter (9) years, for her dad and his condition. He is still in hospital. I have not talked about his cancer yet to her. I am still trying to deal with it myself. We are not able to visit him in hospital given the current situation. thanks

Hi there, I felt an unusual burning sensation in my left breast last week and upon inspection, felt what I thought to be a pea like lump. I immediately made an appointment with my doctor. When she examined me, she discovered something separate to my pea like lump deep in the flesh and said she found what she described as a bump rather than a lump there that was not on the right breast. She did not appear worried at all but said she would make the referral regardless. I got a call from the breast clinic the following day to say that I had been classified as urgent and would be seen in the next two weeks. I'm glad to be seen quickly, however, I'm worried now as the doctor did not appear concerned in the slightest but the consultant has deemed me urgent. I suppose I'm just looking for any sort of reassurance or information as to what is deemed urgent and why it appears to differ to the impression my GP gave. I'm a 38 year old btw. Many thanks for taking the time to answer, C

Hi...I found it yesterday I have cervical cancer. It's treatable so I'm lucky. I'm just numb .. my Mum and sister both died last year from cancer 5 months apart. I was Mum's carer. I was also a healthcare assistant and now I fund myself being the patient. I'm scared of what's ahead..as in I'm scared of how well I'll be able to cope. Usually I'm fine with anything medical, the strong one, but now I just wish I had my Mum/ sister around to comfort me. I have brothers, all older, and good friends but I'm feeling alone deep down. Plus I'm trying to remain really positive for my second daughter who's due her first baby in September. Part of me wants to hide, part of me says the brave mask is best. I'm confused and quietly scared of what's ahead....

Hi, I found a suspicious looking mole on my body and have been referred by my gp to have it removed. I’m 25 years old and feeling really worried as it could take a couple of months to be seen because of the Corona virus. The doctor also told me to contact them if I notice any changes before I am seen. I guess I just want to air my worries as I’m feeling really anxious because I don’t know how long I’ll be waiting and if it is something serious the impact the waiting will have.

Hi, my mum has stomach cancer and been given only several months to live. She is currently in hospital as she had a fall and broke several bones. I live abroad and because of the Covid-19 restrictions I can’t fly home. If I did manage to get a flight (there is talk of Ryanair starting up ) would I be able to visit her with a) the quarantine restrictions (14 days self isolation) that I might be under when I land back in Ireland and b) the hospital restrictions on no visitors. Can the gardai give me a waiver for quarantine in exceptional circumstances? She might be discharged home or to nursing home in a couple of weeks.. could I see her under those circumstances? I am very afraid she will die before I can manage to see her. Surely, if she is dying anyway, the Covid-19 risk to her is unimportant. This is really hard. Thanks

Hi, I am being treated for metatistic breast cancer . I received 4th session of ac chemo therapy on Wednesday following an 8 week delay due to corona virus precautions. I have a very heavy feeling / headache and a tinnitus type sensation in my left ear. I experienced this on my 2nd session but not so much on my last on my last. My tummy is also sore, not painful. Any suggestions on how I might ease this..... it did ease slightly when I went out walking but came back after, Thank you so much

I had an MRI scan last Thursday which was about 2 months overdue -I am being monitored after having breast cancer last year -my question is how long is it usually before you get the results

Hi all! One friend of mine has recommended to us ( my uncle has prostate cancer ) to try deuterium depletion as a complementary therapy. In some European countries ( he is Hungarian ), well known and used this new treatment, for a while. Searching the internet i have found an article from the Journal of Cancer Therapy related to this topic. "Deuterium-depleted water (DDW) is a new promising agent in cancer therapy. The efficiency of the method is based on the discovery, that cancer cells are extremely sensitive to depletion of deuterium (D) and might cause necrosis of the tumor. The purpose of this study was to show the efficacy of D-depletion in prostate cancer (PC) patients. In the dou-ble blind, four-month-long, randomized Phase II clinical trial the daily water intake was replaced with DDW......Application of DDW is a new opportunity in cancer therapy. Growing evidence suggests that D-depletion might play a role both in treatment and prevention of cancer. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed the inhibition of proliferation of cancer cells [25] and the possible cancer preventive effect [26]. Numerous other experiments, including the study had been conducted on mice xenotransplanted with PC-3 cells, proved the anti-cancer effect of D-depletion induced by the application of DDW..." For me it is sound very interesting and promising. We want to try any complementary therapies to fight against cancer. Has anybody heard of it?