Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami and Cancer Research UK unite for World Cancer Day

Mark Tami MP gave his support for those affected by cancer and the NHS staff who care for them at a Westminster event for World Cancer Day, earlier this week.

The Alyn and Deeside MP met with campaigners from Cancer Research UK to learn about the importance of diagnosing cancer early to help save lives and to show solidarity with all those working to ensure more people survive.

Every year, 4,700 people in Alyn and Deeside are diagnosed with cancer and in the UK 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their lifetime.

World Cancer Day earlier this month was an opportunity for people, organisations and countries to work together, raise awareness and take action to beat cancer.

Mark Tami said: “Cancer affects us all, either directly or indirectly. Thankfully there is so much good work going into tackling this horrible disease.

We all need to work together to break down the barriers; ensure people are diagnosed at the earliest opportunity and rather than concentrating on all the negatives, we have to get across that people are surviving and, more than surviving, actually living well.

“By working together, we can all beat it, not just the hard-working researchers and NHS staff who help to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. World Cancer Day helps to highlight the scale of the challenge and how we can all play a part in the fight against the disease, no matter how big or small.”

Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest independent funder of cancer research, investing over £500m a year.

Survival in the UK has doubled in the last 40 years and the charity’s work has been at the heart of this progress, but more support is needed to help speed up life-saving advances.

Shaun Walsh, Head of Public Affairs and Campaigning  for Cancer Research UK, said: “If we are going to realise our ambition of 3 in 4 people surviving cancer by 2034, we must all work together to make faster progress.

“Whether that be thousands of people helping in small ways to make a big difference or the welcome support of people like Mark in Parliament, it all contributes to the global goal of beating cancer.”

For more information visit cruk.org