Vets brought in to help with human health in ‘UK first’ scheme
Rural vets in Northern Ireland sent to check farm animals will now be encouraged to also have health discussions with owners in a bid to tackle cancer inequalities in rural communities.
Veterinarians will now learn about human health during continuing education, which they must renew every year, so they will be able to chat with farmers and give them advice.
The veterinary charity has teamed up with the charity Macmillan Cancer Support and the Farming Community Network (FCN) as part of a project aimed at raising awareness of signs of cancer in rural communities.
Barry O’Boyle, a dairy farmer from County Antrim, said the initiative should help change the trend of some farmers not wanting to take up doctors’ time. BBC.
“They don’t think it’s important enough, but it’s always better to get checked if you think you’re not yourself,” the broadcaster said. “We are happier talking about the health of our animals than we are about our own health.”
Mr O’Boyle’s father, who was also a farmer, died shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. “What my father had was an aggressive form of cancer, but who knows, maybe if the symptoms had been caught earlier, it would have helped a little bit,” he said.
FCN and the charity Macmillan Cancer Support are trying to remind farmers to “nip it in the bud” and get checked for cancer as early as possible.
Caitriona Crawford, FCN’s national director for Northern Ireland, said farmers and those living in rural communities may not be able to prioritize their health due to lack of time or access to available services. As a result, some cancer symptoms, such as long-term pain, tiredness and exhaustion, may be overlooked, he said.
He said: “The support provided by both veterinary associations will undoubtedly help us encourage farming families to be more aware and ultimately save lives from a treatable and treatable disease if diagnosed and treated in the early stages.”
People living in rural communities often have more advanced cancer when diagnosed and are 5 per cent less likely to survive, according to research from Newcastle University.
Sarah Christie, Macmillan Cancer Support’s national lead for Northern Ireland, said: “Cancer can disrupt your whole life. It can be made much worse because of who you are or where you live.
“Rural communities face unique challenges accessing information and support, so partnerships like this are vital.”
