Opening of new CF unit a 'historic, watershed’ moment

Seamus Enright

“It feels safe,” is how the mother of a child with Cystic Fibrosis described the dedicated new outpatient suite at Cavan General Hospital, which was officially opened by Minister James Reilly last Friday. The suite comprises the first part of phased infrastructure to be delivered at the hospital, aimed at overhauling and improving care services on site for persons living with life-threatening respiratory illnesses.
CF campaigner Lorraine O’Neill, whose daughter Mia lives with CF, and whose Run DMC 4 CF fundraising initiative part funded the provision of the new unit, told The Anglo-Celt: “When I bring Mia in here now, she’s straight up to the room. She’s not walking around the hospital, she’s not playing with other kids and I’m not left sitting here a nervous wreck thinking 'what’s she going to get, what’s she going to pick up?’ She’s safe now.”
Lorraine also encouraged anyone attending the hospital to go see the unit itself “go see it’s there and that their money, no matter how much they gave, was used to provide something real.”
Raymond Dunne, chairperson of the local branch of CF Ireland, said the opening was a “truly historic, watershed moment” for the 46 persons with CF living within 50 miles of Cavan Hospital and for the 26 persons who attend hospital. He also respectfully remembers the 28 persons who lived with the condition but who are no longer with us. He further paid tribute to those within the HSE associated with this project, to the nurses and doctors, and to the branch members, both past and present, who strived tirelessly over the years to improve care conditions at the hospital for CF patients.
Cavan is second highest in terms of prevalence of CF in the country and the new unit contains two out-patient treatment rooms with a separate designated area for CF patients to receive care and treatment, thus reducing the risk of cross infection. The project was a joint initiative between Cavan and Monaghan Hospital and the Cavan Branch of CF Ireland, with phases two and three seeking to provide for inpatient units for both adult and paediatric patients with CF.
Mr Dunne also praised Minister Reilly for his support for the cause of better care services for CF patients, like his introduction of the life-changing Kalydeco drug last year.
In cutting the ribbon on the unit, Minister Reilly said: “This new facility will improve the quality of life for CF patients in Cavan and in the surrounding areas by facilitating ambulatory daycare as close to home as possible. It is a welcome and positive development as it minimises the risk to CF patients of exposure to infection and will also reduce the need for CF inpatient admissions.”
Speaking to The Anglo-Celt after the unveiling, the Minister, while positive in the main towards the expansion of respiratory services at the hospital, remained coy in his commitment.
“I know that when one thing is provided that people tend to move onto the next thing, and that’s only natural and right. But we have to look at the overall model of care. We have to improve primary care and community care facilities so people don’t have to come into hospital as frequently as they have in the past.
“However, we are certainly keen to reward Cavan for the great work that has been done in meeting all its targets, by ensuring it has got the inpatient’s unit with capacity to deal with the increased population it now serves.
“I think at this point in time to say any more or anything else would be unfair,” he said.