Mark Lawler, Chair in Translational Cancer Genomics and the Associate Director of Postgraduate Studies at Queen’s University Belfast, shared a post by Steve Dempsey, Director of Advocacy, Communications and Technology at Irish Cancer Society, on LinkedIn, adding:
”Delighted to have been given the opportunity by the Irish Cancer Society to present our latest data on financial discrimination against cancer survivors in support of introducing the Right To Be Forgotten into Law in Ireland. This is not about compassion, it is about evidence and acting on that evidence. I have the privilege to Chair the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership, an international organisation that looks at cancer outcomes across the world.
We use 5 year survival as one of our benchmarks of success. So the same should apply in Ireland – 5 years following successful treatment (less for children) you should not have to disclose your previous cancer diagnosis and financial institutions should not be able to ask you for this information. We’ve been fighting this injustice for nearly 5 years so it was very encouraging to hear that our evidence is being listened to, underpinning the development of legislation to address this financial discrimination. And as I put to the politicians at the end of the session let’s get it right – 5 years is what the data say, what experts say, what cancer survivors want and what Ireland must legislate for.
And I set them a deadline – before World Cancer Day, 4th February 2026….. Over to you – the clock is ticking.”
Quoting Steve Dempsey‘s post:
”The Irish Cancer Society convened the first meeting of the Oireachtas Cross-Party Group on Cancer in Leinster House today. Roderic O’Gorman, TD for Dublin West and Leader of the Green Party was selected as Chair. Topics discussed include the financial cost of cancer for patients, equitable access to medicines, and upcoming ‘Right to be Forgotten’ legislation, which will end the financial discrimination of cancer survivors accessing financial products. TDs and Senators were briefed by Prof. Mark Lawler and Lydia Whelan, a breast cancer survivor who talked about the emotional and financial impact of getting a cancer diagnosis, two weeks after going sale agreed on her dream home.”
More posts featuring Mark Lawler on OncoDaily.
