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Cancer patient denied treatment

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Michelle Harte has terminal cancer. Earlier this year, she became unintentionally pregnant. Due to her pregnancy, her cancer treatment was suspended.

Because she lives in Ireland, however, Ms Harte was denied an abortion and had to travel to Britain in order to undergo the procedure.

The ethics  forum at Cork University Hospital, where she is being treated for cancer,  decided against authorising an abortion for her in Ireland on the basis that her life was not under ‘immediate threat’.

This was in spite of the fact that doctors treating Ms Harte advised her to terminate the pregnancy because of the risks to her health.

The ethics forum took two weeks to make a decision and it took a further three weeks for the former nurse to make travel arrangements to the UK.

When she returned to Ireland, Ms Harte was informed that her condition worsened significantly during the five weeks she was unable to undergo treatment. Scans showed that the cancer had become much more aggressive and spread to her brain.

Abortion is legal in Ireland in circumstances where the life of the mother is at risk.

‘Apparently, my life wasn’t at immediate risk. It just seemed absolutely ridiculous,’ ‘ Ms Harte said.

You can read more in The Irish Times.

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