Perhaps the Millennium Dome should be turned into a memorial for all of those who are sentenced to death because of the National Health Service's lack of equipment and facilities to treat cancer sufferers.

A relation of mine in the East Sussex area had a shadow on the lung discovered in February this year. After a long delay, a biopsy in late June finally showed early stage lung cancer. There was a three week wait to see a radiologist, who now wants a PET scan carried out, which means a three to four week wait for an appointment. Actual treatment will not start until late August/September. Throughout this time the cancer continues to develop.

Is this really acceptable? Do we all quietly accept this as the standard of treatment we can expect should it happen to us? I do not blame the people who work within the health service as they, too, are obviously dissatisfied.

We should have had a Millennium Health Charter with all those big name sponsors proudly putting their name to a good cause. Instead we have the Dome - a white elephant draining resources while people die through lack of practical funding.

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