Note from 16/05/19: As this article is being shared on social media again years after publication we would like to make it clear that it was published on January 16, 2015 and Lucy's medical card situation was resolved just over a month later
A heartbroken mum has slammed the HSE for refusing her cancer-stricken daughter a medical card.
Devoted Angela O’Connor revealed how she gave up her job to give nine-year-old Lucy the full-time care she desperately needs.
But despite Lucy’s serious illness, heartless HSE bosses decided she didn’t qualify for a medical card - even though her parents Angela and Lorcan are struggling to pay the mounting medical bills and their mortgage on just one wage.
And opening up about the heartache of not knowing whether their daughter will survive, Angela told the Irish Mirror that battle was tough enough without fighting the HSE as well.
She revealed: “We’re disappointed because we don’t know how long her care is going to go. We don’t know whether Lucy will survive.
“The cancer she has is a rare type of cancer in a child, it’s more seen in elderly people. That’s difficult enough, without having to fight for a medical card for her.
“I feel I shouldn’t have had to go public with this but we’re kind of just going nowhere.”
Angela first applied for a medical card after little Lucy was diagnosed with cancer five months ago.
On top of her medical bills, Angela and Lorcan also have to cover medical bills for their eldest son who suffers from a disability and attends the Central Remedial Clinic in Dublin.
But they were left devastated and angry on Thursday when they received a letter informing them Lucy - who has lost her hair during chemotherapy treatment - wouldn’t be getting a medical card.
Angela said: “Yes we’ve got the letter now, but it’s five months later. You can imagine the outgoings we’ve had in terms of medical bills for Lucy in the last five months.
“We don’t know what the medical outgoings are going to be in the next five months.
“We’re struggling to even pay our mortgage every month, but we’re trying to keep up with it.”
After she complained, the HSE said the “original examination of this application put the applicant well beyond the acceptable threshold for the granting of a medical card” and urged Angela to “submit all new relevant details.”
But Angela said that she would effectively have to jump through hoops to complete the appeal process, even though she has a seriously-ill daughter and there’s only one wage coming into the house.
She revealed: “To appeal it, there’s a list of 15 different things that I need to go and get. Travelling to work, childcare costs, maintenance of the house, the list is endless.
“To be honest with you, at the moment we’re just trying to manage everything else in the house. We have three other children.
“We’re under a lot of pressure. You would think someone would use discretion and say ‘Yes Lucy is entitled to it.’
“It would then cover the cost of things like a wig, which is E850, which we paid and her medication as well.”
She added: “To me it just went in as a number and came back out as a number that was unsuccessful.
“I would love for somebody from the HSE to actually spend a bit of time in the oncology ward in Crumlin Hospital and see what families there are going through, what my own daughter has gone through.
“To watch and see is just horrendous.”
And Angela said she’s furious the medical card wasn’t granted in the first place, putting the family under added undue stress.
She said: “I shouldn’t have to go public. It’s difficult enough without having to then go and fight for what you would just consider a right for your child.
“Our whole Constitution is about caring for children and I certainly don’t feel that my child is being cared for when she’s being refused a medical card.”
In October, the Irish Cancer Society urged the Government to supply medical cards to all cancer patients - after an expert panel ruled it was not “feasible or desirable” to list medical conditions in order of priority.
Spokeswoman Kathleen O’Meara said at the time: “In our opinion, the current medical card system is failing many cancer patients.
“There has been an overemphasis in the past on a person’s financial means, without due regard to their medical need and the costs associated with that as well.”
Angela herself said that she was stunned at the lack of compassion shown by the HSE.
And speaking about little Lucy, the devoted mum said her whole life had stopped since her diagnosis.
She revealed: “She was eight years old when she was diagnosed, she had shoulder-length, blonde hair. That fell out within weeks and that was very traumatic for her.
“It’s very difficult for her. Her whole life has stopped. She went from being a girl who was doing ballet and drama in school, and absolutely loved school, to not doing anything other than being in hospital.
“That’s very tough when you’re that young. She’s a very strong-willed child and she’s still smiling, but it is hard for her.
“The only way I actually have to deal with it is by going public. I think it’s very unfair.
“You pay tax, you pay PRSI and you’re paying into a system that you hope will kick in when you actually need it. I don’t need it for me but I need it for my daughter.”
