DONNA MARIES PLEA
DONNA MARIE'S PLEA
By DEIRDRE O'DOVOVAN
OMAGH bomb victim Donna Marie McGillion has written letter to The Mirror telling of her devastation at the loss of Northern Ireland's only burns expert.
Dr Khalid Khan, who helped victims of the 1998 atrocity, starts a new job in England next week.
Donna Marie says: "My husband Garry and I feel devastated today. Dr Khalid Khan, the surgeon who saved our lives and that of Garry's sister, is being forced to take up a new post in Nottingham.
"The Royal Group of Hospitals had not fulfilled earlier promises to secure the surgeon in the only regional burns unit in Northern Ireland.
"We feel disappointment, anger, dismay and discriminated against by the NHS in particular the Royal Victoria Hospital that they couldn't find the resources needed to keep one of the best and most compassionate surgeons at the Royal in his post."
The Royal says it has ordered the �70,000 of equipment asked for by Dr Khan. Health Minister Bairbre de Brun said she was disappointed the specialist was leaving.
Donna Marie suffered 60 per cent burns in the Real IRA blast. She was in Omagh with her then fiance Garry to buy shoes for Garry's sister Tracey. Tracey's 21-month-old daughter Breda was killed.
Donna Marie adds in her letter: "The hard work ourselves and other victims, including breast cancer victims, had put in to securing the way for this treatment to be continued here has been wasted.
"We both have visible scars and for people to have that second look is sometimes quite hurtful.
"But not as hurtful as being told that because it is a burn you suffer from, then you no longer have a surgeon that can make life that little bit easier and help your appearance so that other people won't take that second look.
"To be treated as a second-class citizen here in Northern Ireland by not being able to get the treatment we need is somewhat discriminative and all because we look different due to our burns."
Omagh relatives said yesterday that Prime Minister Tony Blair's assurances that the bombers would be brought to justice and the Real IRA disbanded had proved hollow.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Adrian, 21, was among the 29 people killed, said: "Like the families of the Lockerbie victims, we want justice, for without justice there can be no peace."
Mr Gallagher and Victor Barker, whose son James, 12, also died, staged a vigil in Downing Street last night as the Prime Minister met Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
The relatives said the two governments had put justice before expediency.
One man charged in connection with the bombing is to stand trial in Dublin this year after the case was postponed three times.
Some relatives are taking private legal action against people they believe were behind the atrocity.
Mr Barker said the police investigation was going nowhere.
He added: "It is only a matter of time before they succeed in their objectives of killing and maiming more innocent people."
By DEIRDRE O'DOVOVAN
OMAGH bomb victim Donna Marie McGillion has written letter to The Mirror telling of her devastation at the loss of Northern Ireland's only burns expert.
Dr Khalid Khan, who helped victims of the 1998 atrocity, starts a new job in England next week.
Donna Marie says: "My husband Garry and I feel devastated today. Dr Khalid Khan, the surgeon who saved our lives and that of Garry's sister, is being forced to take up a new post in Nottingham.
"The Royal Group of Hospitals had not fulfilled earlier promises to secure the surgeon in the only regional burns unit in Northern Ireland.
"We feel disappointment, anger, dismay and discriminated against by the NHS in particular the Royal Victoria Hospital that they couldn't find the resources needed to keep one of the best and most compassionate surgeons at the Royal in his post."
The Royal says it has ordered the �70,000 of equipment asked for by Dr Khan. Health Minister Bairbre de Brun said she was disappointed the specialist was leaving.
Donna Marie suffered 60 per cent burns in the Real IRA blast. She was in Omagh with her then fiance Garry to buy shoes for Garry's sister Tracey. Tracey's 21-month-old daughter Breda was killed.
Donna Marie adds in her letter: "The hard work ourselves and other victims, including breast cancer victims, had put in to securing the way for this treatment to be continued here has been wasted.
"We both have visible scars and for people to have that second look is sometimes quite hurtful.
"But not as hurtful as being told that because it is a burn you suffer from, then you no longer have a surgeon that can make life that little bit easier and help your appearance so that other people won't take that second look.
"To be treated as a second-class citizen here in Northern Ireland by not being able to get the treatment we need is somewhat discriminative and all because we look different due to our burns."
Omagh relatives said yesterday that Prime Minister Tony Blair's assurances that the bombers would be brought to justice and the Real IRA disbanded had proved hollow.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Adrian, 21, was among the 29 people killed, said: "Like the families of the Lockerbie victims, we want justice, for without justice there can be no peace."
Mr Gallagher and Victor Barker, whose son James, 12, also died, staged a vigil in Downing Street last night as the Prime Minister met Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
The relatives said the two governments had put justice before expediency.
One man charged in connection with the bombing is to stand trial in Dublin this year after the case was postponed three times.
Some relatives are taking private legal action against people they believe were behind the atrocity.
Mr Barker said the police investigation was going nowhere.
He added: "It is only a matter of time before they succeed in their objectives of killing and maiming more innocent people."
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/128
Published Date: 01-Feb-01
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