Stormont stalemate: Cancer survivors call for return of Executive

Colleen McCallion said waiting for a diagnoses had an impat on her mental health.

Cancer survivors have criticised MLAs for "deserting" Northern Ireland's health care system.

It comes as patients continue to face severe delays for tests and treatment.

More than 90 people who have lived with cancer protested at Stormont demanding politicians get back to work.

Colleen McCallion, who was diagnosed with two different types of breast cancer, said: "You can only imagine what it's like waiting."

The 43-year-old from Bellaghy in County Londonderry recieved her diagnosis in October 2022.

She said that if she hadn't pushed for a cancellation appointment, she would have had to wait longer.

The charity, Macmillan Cancer Support, has described the current situation in the health care system as "absolutely disgraceful" and said patients' lives were being "turned upside down with stress and worry".

"Waiting for diagnosis and treatment had a real and serious impact on my mental health," Ms McCallion added.

"I know that some types of breast cancer are fast developing, and this thought was going through my mind constantly.

"I was always tearful and had sleepless nights with worry and anxiety. I was always worried with the long waiting times for appointments if the cancer would spread.

"Thankfully it hadn't I was one of the lucky ones."

'Enough is enough'

Sarah Christie, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Macmillion, said Stormont needed to take urgent action to ensure that cancer services have the right resources to meet an ever-increasing demand.

She said that if there were no MLAs working, there waas no hope for people living with cancer, who need and deserve better.

"Enough is enough. MLAs have left cancer in NI to rot, and we are here to ask if over 90 people with lived experience of cancer can show up at Stormont, why can't you?", she said.

Cancer families spent the day sharing stories of delays to tests and treatment and what it is like living with cancer in all its different guises.

The latest cancer waiting time figures for Northern Ireland were the third worst on record, with little over a third of people beginning their treatment on time following an urgent referral for suspected cancer from their GP.

The figures also highlighted that more people are being diagnosed with cancer while attending an Emergency Department.

Sarah Christie added that they were at Stormont to directly ask MLAs: "What are you waiting for?"

The charity also said it is asking the UK public to join in the call to government to act now.