Karl McCartney MP met with Breast Cancer Care in Parliament on Tuesday 13 October 2015 to pledge support for people living with incurable secondary breast cancer* by calling for data collection to improve the care available.
Currently data for primary breast cancer is recorded, yet no accurate figures exist around the number of people diagnosed or living with incurable secondary breast cancer. Breast Cancer Care believes the poorer care people with the incurable disease often receive is due to these missing numbers making it near impossible to plan the vital services needed.
On Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day Karl attended the parliamentary event - hosted by Craig Tracey MP, Co-Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer - to meet women who are living with the disease, and to show their support for the charity’s campaign.
Karl McCartney MP said: “All of us are only too aware of the tragic impact of cancer and it was extremely important to me to show my support for secondary breast cancer patients on Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day.
“I am pleased that improving outcomes for breast cancer is a Government priority, but it is shocking that we still don’t have accurate data on those living with the incurable disease.
“I hope the Government will listen to Breast Cancer Care and do all it can to support even further people affected by this terrible disease.”
Danni Manzi, Head of Policy & Campaigns at Breast Cancer Care, says: “We are extremely grateful to Karl for coming along to our event and showing his support. Data collection is crucial to improving the care and support available for the women and men living with secondary breast cancer.
“Despite it being mandatory in England for hospitals to collect data on how many are diagnosed with the disease, this is still not happening consistently.
“Only when we have the full picture about the numbers living with the disease can we make informed decisions to ensure care services are planned effectively and that everyone affected by secondary breast cancer gets the support they need from day one.”
Find out more about secondary breast cancer and how to get involved with Breast Cancer Care’s campaign atwww.breastcancercare.org.uk/secondary
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For further information, please contact:
Sophie Softley Pierce, Press Officer, Breast Cancer Care - 020 7960 3505 (out of hours 07702 901 334) / [email protected]
or
Karl McCartney MP, 020 7219 7221 / [email protected].