Anger after Scots mum endured four hour trips for 12 minutes of cancer treatment

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A grieving daughter has called for an urgent review of cancer care services in the region.Rea Hunter described the current situation as “deplorable”.And she claimed “animals are treated with more dignity and compassion” than patients.The 39-year-old spoke out after her mum Olivia Craig died last month having being diagnosed in November.Mrs Craig, 65, had to endure four-hour round trips from her home in Dalbeattie to Edinburgh “writhing in pain” for treatment that took just 12 minutes.

Currently, patients are having to travel to the capital for treatment despite closer facilities available in Glasgow.Rea said: “My mum had to endure hours in a taxi to get to Edinburgh for radiotherapy while she was suffering spinal cord compression and writhing in pain.“She was in so much pain that my dad had to give her medication every half an hour in the taxi.

He said that journey will haunt him for the rest of his life.“It’s an absolute travesty that people who are ill, in agony, are being subjected to a four-hour round trip.“We treat animals with more dignity and compassion.“As a region with a population of almost 140,000, and stats suggesting one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, it shouldn’t be like this.“The whole region is lacking in proper cancer services and end of life care.

We need a specific centre for patients and their families.”Mrs Craig was diagnosed with kidney cancer that had spread to her bones and spine on November 17.Rea said: “She was eventually diagnosed at Dumfries and an appointment was made for her to go to see an oncology team in Edinburgh to discuss treatment options.“After having to travel there again for radiotherapy, she collapsed at home on December 17 and because we couldn’t