Jennifer Damigan’s journey to cancer was different from that of most people in Northern Ireland.

In December 2023, she noticed symptoms such as tickling in her chest and discomfort while eating. He visited a general doctor in March, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in May, and received treatment in July.

From the first contact with the doctor to the decision on the treatment plan, it took 5 months.

But data shows it is a different story for many people in Northern Ireland, who face long waiting lists, with leading charity Cancer Research UK warning that emergency measures need to be introduced to keep patients safe.

The Department of Health (DoH), which is responsible for Northern Ireland, said waiting times for cancer were “unacceptable and remain a priority” and that it was working with health trusts “to address the underlying issues”.

For Damigan, her recovery hinges on not having to wait for a diagnosis or treatment.

Mr Damigan, 54, who lives in Craigavon, said he had great sympathy for those on the waiting list because a person’s prognosis can change from day to day, week to month.

“The prognosis was very good because I was seen very early,” she told BBC News NI.

She said recent tests show she is “cancer-free” at this time, which is “no doubt due to the speed of treatment and the team at the cancer center.”

“The team at the hospital was amazing,” she said. “I was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer and underwent five weeks of chemotherapy.

“An esophagectomy was performed in October, but there were some minor complications and recovery has been slow.”

An esophagectomy is a major surgery in which part or all of the esophagus (food tube) is removed and the remaining esophagus is connected to the stomach (and sometimes the intestines) to restore digestive function.

Damigan said that alongside the physical trauma of fighting cancer, the emotional anxiety can be just as traumatic.

“One of my friends had a six-month wait after getting on the list, and I was six weeks. She was almost mad at me, even angry, because I was seen so early,” she added.

Damigan, diabetes prevention health coach at Southern Health Trust, said access to timely treatment should not be a lottery based on postcode or cancer type.

“It should be up to health services and everyone should have equal access to timely services, regardless of their cancer type,” she said.

Nasser Turabi, head of evidence at Cancer Research UK, told BBC News NI that it was “absolutely important” to prioritize patients with the most urgent needs, adding that this required a whole-systems approach.

He said that delaying cancer has a significant impact on outcomes, increasing the risk of death, worsening prognosis and reducing the chance of survival.

Turabi said studies show that for common cancers, even a one-month delay increases the risk of death by 6 to 10 percent, impacts quality of life and increases psychological stress.

He urged the Northern Ireland Executive to develop an emergency stabilization plan.

“We need to take immediate steps to reduce the backlog of people waiting for diagnosis and treatment and to protect patient safety,” Turabi said in a statement.

Across the UK, the number of patients being referred for suspected cancer and requiring treatment is increasing.

However, a new report from Cancer Research UK says that while this increase is expected and consistent across all countries, it has not led to the sharp decline in waiting time performance seen in Northern Ireland.

The charity said in the past five years around 15,400 patients in Northern Ireland started treatment after receiving red flag referrals, 62 days later than the target.

The report reveals that after red flag introductions, the number of people starting treatment each month in Northern Ireland more than doubled between 2008 and 2025.

Current statistics predict that waiting times will get even worse, with around 20,000 people unable to start treatment on time over the next five years.

The latest official figures for the quarter ending September 2025 show underperformance on all key targets.

• 31-day goals (from treatment decision to treatment):

performance: 88.0% of patients started treatment within 31 days, a slight increase from the previous quarter

target:98% or more

• 62 day target (urgent GP referral for treatment):

performance: 30.1% of patients started treatment within 62 days.

target:95% or more

tendency:Decrease from 32.5% in the previous quarter

• 14-day goals (urgent referral to breast cancer specialist):

performance: 6.8% of patients presented within 14 days

Northern Ireland has by far the worst cancer rates in the UK.

As part of a new report, Cancer Research UK has set out measures on how Northern Ireland’s health and social care system can work to better protect patients.

They include:

• Prioritize patients at highest risk
• Evaluate the number of people who need testing and treatment, and quickly address issues
• Clearly track the progress of every patient’s cancer and progress them through each step as much as possible
• Set realistic improvement targets for each trust and specialty

In a statement, the DoH welcomed the charity’s report and said it was working with the trust to “strengthen cancer pathways, improve capacity across diagnosis and treatment, and continue to follow patients throughout their cancer journey to address the underlying issues.”

“Investments through the Selective Care Framework and NI Cancer Strategy are supporting the expansion and improvement of endoscopy and CT/MRI services across many tumor sites,” the spokesperson added.

“These initiatives, carried out in partnership with trusts and system partners, will help deliver sustainable and equitable cancer services to patients and families across Northern Ireland.”