Fear and anger of cancer patient, with months to live, whose chemotherapy was delayed due to strikes

A cancer patient with months to live has spoken of her fear and anger after chemotherapy was delayed by this week’s strikes.

Flora White, 51, began chemotherapy last month, which is required fortnightly to shrink a tumour so it can be surgically removed.

But it has now been set back, after the appointment she was due to have with her oncologist the day before was cancelled as a result of strikes.

Ms White said that until she got the devastating news about her own delays she had thought cancer patients would be protected from the impact of industrial action.

“It’s hard to deal with as it is, let alone the extra worry and stress,” she said.

“Your treatment being cancelled and delayed, they don’t understand how they’re affecting some people.”

Earlier this week,  Prof Karol Sikora, a leading consultant oncologist, said it was “against the ethics of medicine” for doctors to strike, as he urged medics to think again.

“If you miss cancer and someone goes for another two years without a diagnosis, it’s as good as leaving someone in the gutter bleeding ... people will die,” he said.

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Source: The Telegraph, 21 September 2023