My name is Gerry O Hare and I am an oncology advanced nurse practitioner with the Beatson Oncology Centre Glasgow. I have been supporting cancer nurse education in Palestine (the West Bank and Gaza) for 12 years.
Like every nation cancer is a serious public health issue in Palestine, however Palestinian cancer patients and cancer health clinicians have additional challenges to deal with. The impact of the siege of Gaza and the occupation of the West Bank by Israel has a devastating impact on the treatment of cancer and clinical outcomes. Denial of travel permits, restrictions on access of cancer drugs, checkpoints restricting travel and the lack of training opportunities all have negative impact on cancer treatment in Palestine.
From the beginning of my support of cancer nursing in Palestine David Hayman and the Glasgow based humanitarian organization Spirit Aid have consistently supported the training of Palestinian cancer nurses.
This vital support from Spirit Aid has focused on supporting my visits to Bethlehem University to train the Palestinian nurses enrolled on the Cancer Nursing Masters. In addition, the support has included supporting cancer awareness days for the citizens of Bethlehem (particularly Aida refugee camp) programmes run by nursing students at Bethlehem University.
The placement of Bethlehem University Cancer Masters students in clinical settings in Glasgow is a vital component of training for Palestinian cancer students. Without the support of Spirit Aid to subsidise the travel costs, accommodation and living expenses students would not have been able to afford to upper the offer of clinical placements in Glasgow Cancer hospitals.
The graduates from the Masters in Cancer and Palliative Care Nursing from Bethlehem University are positively improving the management of cancer care in Palestine. It is no exaggeration to state that without the support from Spirit Aid, the training, education and experienced gained by Palestine Cancer Nurses would not have the impact that it is currently having across Palestine.
All cancer nurses, academics and patients who have been helped by Spirit Aid wish to express gratitude to all at Spirit Aid (and the donors) for recognizing the challenges that Palestinians have to endure and for supporting the developments in cancer nurse training that is making such a difference to the care we all deliver to our Palestinian cancer patients.
Gerry O Hare
Oncology Advanced Nurse Practitioner July 2024
