St Albans MP Anne Main joined Cancer Research UK scientists to find out more about the charity’s inspiring new plan to accelerate progress and help save more lives in the East of England.
Anne was there to find out the part she could play in helping to achieve Cancer Research UK’s ambition that within 20 years, 3 in 4 of all cancer patients diagnosed will survive at least ten years.
Speaking at the event Anne said ‘There have been great strides made over the last 40 years, and now around half of people can expect to survive the disease for at least 10 years, compared with a quarter in the early 1970s. Cancer Research UK’s work has been pivotal in achieving these gains.
‘Whilst some of the figures for St Albans are encouraging on urgent referrals and patient experience, the proportion of patients waiting 6 weeks or longer for a diagnostic test drops below the national average. This was borne out by parliamentary questions I asked earlier in the year.
‘Since then I have met the Chief Executive of the Trust, and she has agreed to a public meeting in September, which I will chair, to allow constituents to raise their concerns surrounding the quality of the health service in the Trust.’
During the event at Westminster, Anne had the opportunity to participate in interactive experiments with cancer researchers, learning about the biology of cancer and cutting-edge work to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
But despite the successes, Cancer Research UK believes much more can be done to help more people in the East of England and across the UK beat cancer sooner.
Sara Osborne, Head of Policy at Cancer Research UK said: ‘It’s great to have Anne’s support to highlight the vital role MPs and their constituents can play in helping to tackle all cancers.
‘We must not underestimate the devastating impact that cancer has on the lives of those with a cancer diagnosis and their families.
‘As more people are diagnosed with the disease, it’s essential that we speed up our progress. We know that early diagnosis and access to the best possible treatments saves lives. We need the public and MPs to get behind us and help make our ambition possible. In the next two decades we can, and will, transform the outlook for cancer patients.’
Watch: Anne Main, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh, talks about the Rohingya crisis and urges support for @DECappeal pic.twitter.com/FFL0lq8O0A
— DFID (@DFID_UK) October 12, 2017