A € 550,000 machine, funded in part by two cancer survivors in Cork, has cut waiting times from eight weeks for patients to just 24 hours.
The Cork University Hospital (CUH) Ion Torrent Genexus sequencer can identify the DNA profiles of cancers, which are then used to determine the best type of treatment to fight the disease.
Almost € 50,000 was raised during Cork Pink Week in 2019, organized by friends Miriam Healy and Sylvia McHenry, who have survived breast cancer.
"We wanted to raise awareness that breast cancer affects all ages and affects people under the age of 50," said Ms. Healy.
"We met with CUH Charity and consultants at the hospital to find out what they needed and what could really benefit patients.
"After our first event at City Hall, we were able to contribute to the purchase of two high-resolution reporting workshop stations for advanced interpretation of mammograms."
In 2019, the friends launched Cork Pink Week, hosting a business breakfast and 'pink lunch' at Collins Barracks, which raised funds for the new team.
Ms McHenry said the machine also allows people who have recovered to have tests to investigate the likelihood that their cancer will recur.
The technology uses sequencing to help speed cancer testing, allowing patients to start their therapies and clinical trials earlier.
It is used to identify the DNA sequence of a cancer, allowing consultants to initiate a treatment plan based on the cancer profile.
Previously, this profiling had to be done in Britain, and during the Covid pandemic, it often took eight weeks to change the results.
These results can now be delivered within 24 hours by CUH.
Public support for CUH Charity's 18-month Pull Together campaign ensured that the remaining funds were raised.
The Karen Fenton Ovarian Cancer Fund raised € 80,000 in memory of Ms Fenton, who spent her final weeks at CUH before her death in 2017 at age 43.
Mick McCourt, his family, friends and McAfee co-workers raised more than € 64,000 in memory of his wife Aileen, who passed away in 2018.
