If you are diagnosed with cancer in a biobank network hospital, you may be asked before the procedure if you would be willing to have small samples from your operation specimen donated to the biobank for research. You will receive information describing how the process works, as well as a consent form to review. Donating your samples is entirely voluntary. Whether or not you decide to donate, there is no difference to the surgical procedure. Your samples cannot be taken unless you give written consent (permission). Your samples will be used to benefit others with your disease, but you are free to withdraw your consent at any time thereafter.
Unfortunately, depending on biobank staffing in the hospital, the opportunity to donate samples may not be available to all patients.
All donations will be used for promoting and developing biobanks in Irish hospitals. Your financial contribution may be used for purchasing a biobank, laboratory equipment or IT equipment, or might support temporary, part time or fulltime biobank personnel.
We would greatly appreciate your help, to show that linking hospital biobanks in the early phase of an active biobank network will demonstrate proof of principle successfully in Ireland, as in Spain and Wales. Even when the network is completed with government support, there will undoubtedly be funding gaps, and voluntary, private sector, and philanthropic donations will be very welcome.
Fundraising strategy is in development