Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)

I have just come from a presentation on pancreatic cancer in the audiovisual room, which the Leader and other colleagues, including Senator Boyhan, also attended. It was hosted by our colleague, Senator Mark Duffy. Today, we mark World Pancreatic Cancer Day, a day to shed light on one of the most aggressive and least understood cancers. Pancreatic cancer is often called the silent disease because symptoms like abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue can be mistaken for something minor. That silence is deadly. Most patients are diagnosed far too late and Ireland's outcomes reflect that. Only about 10% of patients here survive for five years compared with more than 80% to 90% for breast and prostate cancer, respectively. Unlike for those cancers, though, Ireland still has no rapid diagnostic clinic for pancreatic cancer. That gap costs people precious time. A specialised referral pathway could speed up diagnosis and determine far sooner whether surgery, which is the best chance of survival, is possible. Right now, families are losing weeks navigating a system that simply is not built for a fast-moving disease. Professor Gráinne O'Kane, who was part of the presentation team in the audiovisual room, recently spoke of the psychological trauma of not being able to offer Irish patients every possible option. We can change that. With organisation, investment and political will, we can build the kind of rapid-access service that patients deserve.

Today is about awareness and awareness can save lives. When people know the symptoms, understand the risks and push for early evaluation, we improve the odds. It is also a day to honour the courage of patients, survivors, families and caregivers. I think today of Bernie, the mother of Aislinn Swanick and the mother-in-law of a good friend of mine and former colleague in this House, Dr. Keith Swanick, who died three weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her symptoms, which included indigestion, pain on the left side and fatigue, sounded ordinary but they were not. The Swanick family is turning the GP surgery in Belmullet purple today in her memory and Aislinn continues to fundraise for Pancreatic Cancer Ireland, a voluntary organisation unapologetically demanding better survival rates and better care. On 8 December, 11-year-old Julian Swanick will release a Christmas carol in honour of his nanny, Bernie, to help raise awareness. It is important that each of us speaks as often as we can about this silent killer.