Cancer rates
are not even given a chance to find out.
Yours, Dear Editor,
It was both alarming and depressing in equal measure that we learned that 3,000 patients a year, were diagnosed with some form of cancer in our hospital emergency wards.
To think that this life-threatening disease is only being picked up in our chaotic and increasingly over burdened A&E departments, leaves an awful lot to be desired for the feelings of the unfortunate patient.
We are told in the report that 60 people approximately per day are diagnosed with some form of invasive cancer and that unfortunately despite big improvements in screening tests for this illness and much quicker access to tests for certain cancers, that in excess of eight people a day are told that they have this disease in a hospital emergency unit. Steve Tarrant, Glencar, Co Sligo Dear editor,
In response to Bernie Linnane’s comments on autonomy (Sligo Champion 27/3/18), let her comments go challenged. The Eighth Amendment does not deny any person their autonomy.
Rather, it respects the most fundamental right of any human person, that they actually have unique autonomy. It recognises the mother has her unique autonomy, as well as the child inside her. What a wonderful human right which acknowledges the individuality of both mother and child.
It serves as a solid platform of basic respect for self and others. It is the cornerstone of Irish culture, underpinning a caring and compassionate society. This autonomy, respect and freedom of all Irish individuals was gained by a courageous people in 1916 and is now beautifully intertwined in the Irish Constitution.
To ignore it is to back-stab our ancestors, and stab in their small hearts, our future. Given our worldwide human atrocities directly attributable to lack of respect for each other, don’t you think we need to continue to enshrine this respect for autonomy in our constitution, to prevent any future degradation of basic human rights?
The Eighth Amendment is not what needs to go, but instead the hardened hearts which fail to see the poetry within it.
Regards, Silvana Zec Knocknarea, Co.Sligo