Cancer continues to provide a major challenge to our health services, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today, marking the Irish Cancer Society's Daffodil Day.
The charity hopes to raise some €3 million from this year's Daffodil Day takings. Volunteers will be selling the flowers and emblems on streets across the country today.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern
The Irish Cancer Society say some 21,5000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the Republic this year and 8,000 people will die of the disease.
Mr Ahern said it was an opportune time to reflect on the success of the smoking ban, almost a year ago.
He said the reduction in active and passive smoking will reduce tobacco-related illnesses such as lung cancer and emphysema, but that cancer continues to provide a major challenge to the health services.
"It is currently estimated that 90 per cent of all lung cancers are related to both active and passive smoking. While it is still too early to provide exact figures, it is clear that the ban on smoking in the workplace is having a positive effect, not only on the health of the nation, but also on the functioning of our health services."
Mr Ahern praised the Irish public for participating in the ban and he praised the hospitality sector in particular for ensuring the success of the health initiative..
The proceeds of Daffodil Day today will see some €1.5 million spent on the night-nursing service. This allows patients to remain at home with the support of a night nurse when they are in the terminal stage of their illness.
Some €850,000 will be used to pay for 20 hospital-based cancer-liaison nurses in major cancer treatment hospitals across the country.
A further €1 million will be allocated to cancer homecare teams. The rest of the funds will go to the National Cancer Helpline, bursaries for nurses, and education for hospital and community nurses.