So far over 175,000 patients have been treated under the NTPF.
Some of the patients treated so far tell their stories below:
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John Keegan
John (84) became the 150,000th patient to be treated under the NTPF in August 2009. John had originally been placed on the waiting list for prostate surgery in St James Hospital in March of the same year. Upon being informed by the hospital that he would be waiting at least 6 months for the surgery a family member contacted the NTPF on his behalf. John was treated within 2 months of the call in St Francis Hospital, Mullingar.
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Charlotte Cullen, Sligo
Charlotte had been on the waiting list at Sligo General Hospital for a knee arthroscopy for 14 months when she contacted the NTPF Lo-call line. Charlotte was referred to St Josephs Hospital, Garden Hill and was treated within 2 months of her call to the NTPF. Charlotte is now pain free and through physiotherapy treatment, will return to her full mobility.
“I was in terrible pain, particularly when driving. It was just wear and tear of the knee joint, but it was getting worse by the day. When I was on the waiting list for more than a year, I began to wonder whether I'd ever be seen. After waiting so long, I couldn't believe how quickly I was called to Garden Hill once I contacted the NTPF. And I was treated like royalty. I would have no hesitation in saying to anybody on a long waiting list they should contact the NTPF. It can make a real difference.”
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Denise Donnelly, Celbridge, Co. Kildare
Denise (42) had suffered from sinus problems resulting in breathing difficulties and an inability to sleep for a number of years. After being on the waiting list at Tallaght Hospital for over a year she was contacted and advised that the NTPF could arrange her treatment. Denise was subsequently referred to the Hermitage Clinic, Dublin under the NTPF OPD ENT Pilot Scheme, which resulted in her having a Septoplasty procedure.
“I can get up to ten hours of sleep at night and can now swim properly and have gone back to swimming.”
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Catherine Kennedy Clara, Co. Offaly
Catherine (64) rang the NTPF Lo-call line in September 2007 after being told she faced a 2 year wait for spinal decompression surgery in Beaumont Hospital. Catherine went on to become the 100,000th person to be treated under the NTPF following her successful surgery only as few months later in the Blackrock Clinic, Dublin.
“To be offered the chance of faster treatment through the NTPF was fantastic. Everything went without a hitch and I am now fully back to normal rather than still waiting for my operation. It's been great for me. I'd recommend it to anyone. From the moment I got in touch with them everything was sorted for me.”
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Margaret (Gretta) Flynn, from Dungarvan, County Waterford
Margaret (Gretta) had been waiting for over two years in Waterford Regional Hospital for a double cataract operation. On contacting the NTPF on their lo-call number, Gretta was referred to Barringtons Hospital in Limerick where she had both of her operations within a couple of weeks.
82 year old Gretta developed eye problems before her 80th birthday. Her vision became blurred. She couldn't read and lost her confidence when it came to crossing the road. For two years her eyesight became progressively worse and she was increasingly dependent on friends and family.
“I had started to lose confidence and couldn't read or watch the television anymore. I couldn't really go out on my own as I had a fear of not seeing a car or of falling off the pavement. I made one phone call to the NTPF and they did the rest. I was so relieved when they told me that I would have my operation in Limerick as I knew my quality of life would improve greatly with my sight back. I had my first operation in December 2005 and the second one in January 2006 and my sight is now perfect. I was able visit my daughter in England at Easter and had a wonderful time.”
“The doctors and staff at Barringtons Hospital could not do enough to assist me during my time with them. It was great that I only had to travel to Limerick to have my operation which I had been waiting so long for.”
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Rachel Murray, from Palmerstown, Dublin 14
Rachel Murray (16), from Palmerstown, Dublin 14, had her tonsils removed in Aut Even Hospital, Kilkenny in January 2006 following a two year wait for the procedure at Tallaght Hospital.
Rachel's details were added to the Patient Treatment Register(PTR) in September 2005 and, because she was over three months waiting for her operation, the NTPF wrote to Rachel to offer her quicker treatment through the Fund. Rachel contacted the NTPF at the end of November 2005 and she got an appointment for her operation for January 2006. She had first been added to the waiting list in Tallaght when she was 14 and as she got older her symptoms worsened.
“I would be sick every couple of weeks with my tonsils and off school a lot especially during my Junior Cert year. I would have a high temperature, find it uncomfortable to eat and have a sore throat. I wouldn't be allowed outside or have the energy to meet up with friends and I was frequently on antibiotics.”
“The procedure was relatively quick as I only had to stay over for one night and rest for a couple of days afterwards. I now feel so much better and haven't been sick since. I am now going into my Leaving Cert cycle and looking forward to completing my exams without sickness. If I didn't get a letter from the NTPF I would probably be still waiting for my operation.”
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Delia O’Connell from Nenagh, County Tipperary
Delia, who is 72 years old, had been on a waiting list for almost two years for cataract operations on both of her eyes and faced a further wait of several months to have them treated. Last November, the Mid-Western Health Board contacted Delia to ask whether she was interested in having the cataract operations in the Bon Secours Hospital, Tralee under the NTPF. Delia accepted the offer and her first eye was treated that month. Her second eye was operated on in February and now she has 20/20 vision.
Following her treatment Delia commented: “I was thrilled to get the offer of treatment under the NTPF. Had it not been for the NTPF I might still be waiting for treatment. I would definitely encourage people to get treatment under the NTPF. Why should people suffer if it is there for them?”
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Nicola Godden, Tallaght, County Dublin
Twenty year old Nicola was diagnosed in 1999 with a thyroid tumour. After being on a waiting list for three years Nicola still did not have a date for her operation. Last November Nicola was offered treatment under the NTPF in The Hampshire Clinic near London and underwent the operation a few weeks later. She was delighted to get the offer and didn’t mind travelling to the UK for her operation.
“The Treatment Purchase Fund was excellent for me. You might feel that travelling to the UK for treatment might be a lot of hassle, but it isn’t,” Nicola commented.
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Robert Johnson, Letterkenny, County Donegal
Robert needed a prostate operation and had been on a waiting list for more than two years. Following referral by Letterkenny General Hospital to the Ballykelly Clinic in Derry, Northern Ireland, Robert was treated in a matter of weeks.
"I'm delighted with my treatment. It's a brilliant scheme and I would advise anyone who has been waiting a long time to call the NTPF."
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