‘I’m not ready to die’
Galy O’Connor has garnered more than 67,000 signatures on her change.org petition calling on Health Minister Jillian Skinner to “urgently intervene” to save the lives of patients on waiting lists.
GALY O’CONNOR, a 55-year-old cancer sufferer and mother of six, has garnered more than 67,000 signatures on her change.org petition calling on Health Minister Jillian Skinner to “urgently intervene” to save the lives of patients on waiting lists.
In 2011, O’Connor, was diagnosed with Peritoneal Mesothelioma, a cancer that occurs in the layers of cells lining the body’s internal organs. The cancer is so rare that there is only one surgeon that can operate on her.
“The waiting lists [for surgery] are dangerously long and the government won’t fund more surgery places,” O’Connor said. “I don’t have time. It’s already been six weeks since my surgeon told me I urgently need a life-saving operation … and now more cysts are growing on my liver. It’s a death sentence.”
The petition states that waiting lists are so long that patients’ cancers are becoming inoperable, and it’s highly likely they’ll die before receiving their surgery.
“I need Jillian Skinner to immediately fund more theatre time and ICU beds for Professor Morris’s team so myself and the other desperate sufferers on the waiting list don’t die.”
Since launching the petition, O’Connor has been contacted by other patients in the same position.
“Another 43-year-old father of young kids and also a peritoneal mesothelioma victim from Baulkham Hills has contacted me to see if we can join together to agitate for more theatre space, especially considering the recent announcement of a $4.7 billion surplus announced by the NSW Treasurer,” she said.
“He texted me overnight saying [that] he was advised that his scheduled surgery for October has been postponed to November – but there is no guarantee. He is petrified he will die before he can obtain this potentially life-saving surgery.”
O’Connor said: “I am not fighting this fight for myself alone. I do not want to get pushed to the front of a queue to the detriment of anyone else in line. I want there to be more theatre space available so more people can be operated on each week.”
O’Connor is on the waiting list at St George Hospital. General manager Leisa Rathborne told The AJN, its nine operating theatres are fully occupied, but a redevelopment will allow for eight additional operating theatres while the Ministry of Health has issued an expression of interest to find a second facility to establish another peritonectomy service in NSW and that it is exploring ways to undertake additional peritonectomy surgeries until it opens.
To sign the petition, visit www.change.org and search for Galy O’Connor.
YAEL BRENDER
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