Hundreds of cancer patients from the northwest will attend a protest outside the Dáil this morning as part of the ongoing campaign to retain cancer services at Sligo General Hospital.
The mayor of Sligo councillor Jonathan McGoldrick (FF) and the president of Sligo Chamber of Commerce Tony Wehrly will be among the protesters.
The failure to locate a centre of excellence north of the line from Dublin to Galway in the national cancer strategy represents "death by geography", according to Sligo councillor Imelda Henry (FG), one of the organisers.
The protesters will deliver a letter to Minister for Health Mary Harney from Tim O'Hanrahan, consultant general surgeon at the hospital, in which he pleads with the Minister to reconsider the strategy.
Dozens of letters will also be delivered from patients who are unable to make the trip.
In his letter Mr O'Hanrahan, who specialises in breast surgery, outlines the hospital's care regime involving triple assessment, a multi-disciplinary team and weekly meetings which "in my humble opinion serves the patient well".
He also warns that patients will face considerable hardship if forced to travel to Galway for services currently available in Sligo.
Sligo-North Leitrim TD and Minister of State for Health Jimmy Devins will meet a delegation from the group at the Dáil.
Mary Shivnan, chairwoman of the Sligo Cancer Support Group, who is among former or current patients expected to attend, said people wanted to save the Sligo unit because they believed it was as good as anywhere else.
"I would not compromise my health, I would put my life in Mr O'Hanrahan's hands," she said. "I believe the unit in Sligo is excellent and as a qualified nurse I know what I am talking about."
