I was pleased to be able to mark World Cancer Day at a special Cancer Research UK event at Westminster recently, focussed on improving cancer survival in the UK.
Taking place on the 4th February each year, the awareness day is an international
initiative which inspires individuals and communities to unite against the disease. In the UK, nearly 1 in 2 people will get cancer in their lifetime.
I met Cancer Research UK staff, researchers and campaigners to discuss how to speed up progress in preventing, diagnosing and treating the disease. Developed with insights from cancer patients and experts from across health, life sciences, government and academic sectors, the charity has recently published an ambitious cancer plan: Longer, better lives: a manifesto for cancer research and care.
It sets out a raft of key measures that, if adopted in the UK, could help avoid 20,000
cancer deaths a year by 2040.
Recommendations in the manifesto include the introduction of measures to end
cancers caused by smoking, such as the proposed legislation to raise the age of sale
of tobacco products; improved early detection of cancer through initiatives including
a lung screening programme; greater investment in research; and action to ensure
cancer wait time targets are met.
It is really obvious that incredible progress has been made in the fight against cancer and
survival in the UK has doubled in the last 50 years. But there’s still much further to go.
People in Romsey and Southampton North could benefit hugely from the proposals in Cancer Research UK’s manifesto and its vital mission to help avoid 20,000 cancer deaths a
year in the UK by 2040, is one that we should all get behind. It is crucial that politicians work together, and with charities such as Cancer Research UK, to help ensure more people affected by cancer can live longer, better lives.
Cancer Research UK public affairs manager, Ian Caleb, has also underlined that the
support of parliamentarians was crucial to help turn the tide on cancer. He said: “Cancer is the defining health issue of our time, and uniting to beat it has never been more important. On World Cancer Day we recognise the power of working together – and it’s by working together, with strong leadership and political will, that we can drastically improve cancer outcomes.
“We were delighted to speak to so many MPs and Peers in Parliament to mark this
important day and highlight the opportunities ahead to elevate UK cancer survival to
amongst the best in the world.”
