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This week I joined Cancer Research UK scientists in Westminster to find out more about the charity’s inspiring new plan to accelerate progress and help save more lives in Scotland.
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Cancer Research UK’s ambition is that within 20 years three in four of all cancer patients diagnosed will survive at least ten years. There have been major advances in the fight against cancer over the last 40 years and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress, so I firmly believe that target is achievable.
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More people are surviving the disease and living longer and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of this progress. However, there is more to be done to help people beat cancer. We need to encourage more over 50s in Edinburgh who are invited to breast and bowel screenings to attend their appointments, as uptake levels are currently much lower than the national average. Screening remains one of the best ways to spot cancer earlier and patients are more likely to survive cancer if it is diagnosed at an earlier stage.
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Take a look at this link below:
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You’ll see from the second page how important it can be to detect cancer at an early stage. If you are invited to a breast or bowel cancer screening, I would strongly encourage you to attend as there really is nothing more important than your health. Additionally, the first page shows what a fantastic job the Lothian Health Board is doing in terms of meeting targets for referrals and speed of treatment, both of which are indicators of clinical success.
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