THE IRISH Cancer Society yesterday urged the Government to reconsider its decision to scrap plans for a cervical cancer vaccine and also called for the speedy introduction of bowel cancer screening.
Its chief executive, John McCormack, was speaking as cyclist Lance Armstrong’s foundation announced that it would hold its first Livestrong global cancer summit in Dublin this August.
In a statement, top cyclist and seven times winner of the Tour de France Armstrong said the summit’s goal was to bring world leaders, policymakers, agencies and survivors together “to avoid a public health catastrophe. Unless we act on a global level, cancer will be the leading cause of death by 2010,” he said.
People such as Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd and former US president Bill Clinton had already expressed support for the summit and promised to send high-level representation, the foundation said.
The Irish Cancer Society said it hoped the staging of the summit here would encourage the Irish Government to announce new plans to fight cancer. Mr McCormack said he believed the cervical cancer vaccine plan would be revisited.
Minister for Health Mary Harney said she welcomed the announcement and that it fitted well with the Government’s cancer control strategy.
Lance Armstrong set up his foundation more than 11 years ago, after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He went on to win the Tour de France seven times before retiring but recently announced his comeback. He will participate in the Tour of Ireland in the days before the summit takes place.
The cyclist has been dogged by doping suspicions over the years, although he has always denied using performance-enhancing drugs. The Irish Cancer Society said these controversies had not affected its decision to get involved in the summit.
“Many people who have gone through a cancer journey in Ireland have seen Lance Armstrong as a role model. Lance Armstrong has helped them through their cancer journey,” Mr McCormack said.
Asked if the doping controversy affected the foundation’s work, its chief of staff, Morgan Binswanger, said, “No it hasn’t. You know those are, in essence, two separate issues.” He said Armstrong was using his return to racing to draw attention to cancer.
