Local MP, Andrew Jones, marked World Cancer Day at a special Cancer Research UK event in Westminster this week focussed on improving cancer survival in the UK.
Taking place on the 4 February each year the awareness day is an international initiative which inspires individuals and communities to unite against the disease.
In the UK around 1 in 2 people will get cancer in their lifetime.
Andrew met with Cancer Research UK staff, researchers and campaigners to discuss how to speed up progress in preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.
Developed with insights from cancer patients and experts from across health, life sciences, government and academic sectors the charity has recently published an ambitious cancer plan: Longer, better lives: a manifesto for cancer research and care.
It sets out a raft of key measures that, if adopted in the UK, could help avoid 20,000 cancer deaths a year by 2040.
Cancer Research UK’s recommendations include action to end cancers caused by smoking, such as the proposed legislation to raise the age of sale of tobacco products.
If passed it would raise the legal age of sale of tobacco in England by one year every year making it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
Commenting Andrew said: “Great progress has been made in the fight against cancer and survival in the UK has doubled in the last 50 years. But there is more work to do.
“As the single leading behavioural cause of preventable death across our country, responsible for around 1 in 4 cancer deaths, reducing smoking is crucial for ensuring we live longer, healthier lives.
“That is why I am supporting the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to ensure that children aged 14 or younger can never legally be sold tobacco products.”
Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager, Ian Caleb, underlined that the support of parliamentarians was crucial to help turn the tide on cancer.
He said: “Cancer is the defining health issue of our time and uniting to beat it has never been more important. On World Cancer Day we recognise the power of working together – and it’s by working together, with strong leadership and political will, that we can drastically improve cancer outcomes.
“Upcoming legislation to raise the age of sale of tobacco products is a crucial step to help tackle the biggest preventable killer in the UK. We are grateful to all the Parliamentarians supporting the Prime Minister’s proposed legislation and are committed to working with the UK Government for a smokefree future.”
For more information visit cruk.org/smokefreeuk.
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