Patients in plea to save cancer hospital
Cancer patients will lobby TDs today to join their campaign to save St Luke’s Hospital in Rathgar from demolition.
Activists from Waterford and Dublin will be outside the Dáil to call on public representatives to support a major march due to take place this Saturday.
The Save St Luke’s campaign is a national network of groups composed of patients, their families and local people who want to save and expand the renowned public cancer hospital.
The Minister for Health Mary Harney has previously outlined plans to close the specialist hospital and sell the site, moving the facilities to St James’ Hospital.
“We are here today to tell the politicians once more that thousands of people across the country want St Luke’s to be retained in Rathgar,” said Joe Gilfoyle, from Waterford, a patient and national chairman of the Save St Luke’s Campaign.
“It is an existing centre of excellence and currently the national radiotherapy centre treating patients from all over Ireland.
“The hospital has a unique atmosphere and ethos which cannot be replicated elsewhere.
“The campaign questions the decision to move recovering cancer patients from St Luke’s to the crowded campus at St James.”
Campaigners hope the march will send a very clear signal to Ms Harney that people want the facility to stay open.
“It makes no sense,” added Rory Hearne, chairman of the Dublin supporters group.
“You have to ask if the valuable site on which St Luke’s stands was a factor in the decision. Speculators would pay anything to get their grubby hands on those eight acres of land in Rathgar.”
