Kingswinford and South Staffordshire MP, Mike Wood marked World Cancer Day at a special Cancer Research UK event in Westminster this week aimed at saving more lives from the disease.
Taking place on the 4th February each year, World Cancer Day unites people around the globe to raise vital awareness and inspire change.
With over six million new cancer cases expected in England by 2040*, the MP for Kingswinford & South Staffordshire met with Cancer Research UK campaigners about the action needed to tackle long delays in diagnosis and treatment, that could help improve cancer outcomes for everyone.
Across the country, the proportion of cancers being diagnosed at an early stage has seen little change over the last decade and, while cancer survival is improving, progress is slow.
The event in Parliament came in a week that saw the Government announce a raft of new measures from the National Cancer Plan for England aimed at transforming cancer care.
Mr Wood said: “Most of our lives have been affected by the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis, with one in two of us predicted to suffer from the disease at some point during our lifetime.
"Cancer affects every family in every constituency and I see the devastating impact of the disease week in, week out in Kingswinford & South Staffordshire.
“As you might know, this matters to me not just as an MP campaigning for better outcomes and fairer support, but also because my Senior Parliamentary Researcher, Dan Horrocks has faced three cancerous tumours since he first began working for me in 2015.
"That’s why since this time last year, I've been backing legislation to make patient access to medicine for rare cancers easier with The Rare Cancers Bill.
“The good news is advanced research projects, innovative treatments and screening programmes, backed by scientific evidence, are already changing and saving lives. But, it’s vital that there’s timely and quality cancer care for all – now and in the future.
"So, I hope to see the National Cancer Plan making the vital difference that cancer patients in England need and deserve.”
Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest charitable funder of cancer research. In the last 50 years, its work has helped to double cancer survival in the UK, but the charity says there’s still much more to do.
Head of Public Affairs and Campaigning at Cancer Research UK, Shaun Walsh, said: “We’re grateful to Mike for his support. Cancer survival in the UK continues to lag behind comparable countries and for patients, that often means fewer precious moments with their loved ones.
“That’s why we've been campaigning for the National Cancer Plan for England - to make the next decade a crucial turning point in beating the disease.
"We look forward to working with MPs across the political spectrum to help ensure the plan delivers on the potential to create life-saving and lasting change. We must turn hope into reality for the thousands of people affected by cancer across the country.”
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