Cancer patients protest outside St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin

More than 50 cancer patients and their supporters gathered at St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin on Thursday, to protest at the failure of the hospital to retain a specialist clinician.

Dr Alexia Bertuzzi was employed on a locum contract replacing a consultant oncologist who had taken on the role of chair of the Irish clinical oncology research group.

However, with the return of that consultant, Dr Bertuzzi’s contract was not renewed.

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Crona Sheehan of Sarcoma Action Group Ireland outside St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

More than 13,000 people have now signed a petition calling on the hospital to retain Dr Bertuzzi, with the protest group claiming her experience with the application of chemotherapy in cases of sarcomas, would not be replaced.

Sarcomas are a rare cancer that affect 200 to 250 people in Ireland annually. There are 50 different types, and they are treatable if caught early.

Speaking at Thursday’s protest, Crona Sheehan, who was diagnosed in 2005, said sarcomas regularly return after surgery and the prognosis for many involved repeat operations to remove new tumours early in their development, and the use of radiation and chemotherapy where appropriate. She said when surgery was not viable, sarcoma chemotherapy specialists were necessary and it was this expertise which made Dr Bertuzzi exceptional, she said.

“One oncologist is not the same as another. You can’t refer a woman with breast cancer to a prostate cancer oncologist” she said.

Lorraine McBride from Donegal who was also protesting said she had been travelling to St Vincent’s for treatment since 2014. “My own oncologist in Donegal said recommended I come here because of the knowledge which was available about sarcomas” she said.

Susan Keaton from Wexford said she had “had five surgeries” and was very interested in Dr Bertuzzi’s expertise in dealing with tumours which were inoperable, but which could be managed with chemotherapy”.

Chloe Fitzgerald said she was referred to Dr Bertuzzi by doctors in Birmingham, while Elaine O’Rielly from Firhouse, Dublin, said her daughter Emma had been diagnosed in 2013 . Andrew Stobie (20) of Clondalkin said many patients felt “Dr Bertuzzi was “the only one” who could offer them hope.

Group organiser Kelli Appezzato from Brisbane Australia said her husband Gino was diagnosed in January and would have not had any hope until he met Dr Bertuzzi.

Minister for Health Simon Harris recently told the Dáil Dr Bertuzzi was employed on a locum and as the post holder had returned “the reason for employing the locum has now ceased”.

“I am assured by the HSE that care for patients undergoing treatment for sarcoma cancer at St Vincent’s Hospital will not be compromised in any way and their management will be provided by one of the hospital’s full-time oncologists,” he said.

A spokeswoman for St Vincent’s said ongoing care of patients and would be undertaken by the multidisciplinary team in the hospital, “which has all of the relevant specialities including surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology and pathology for the care of patients with sarcoma and other cancers”.