In a major stand against political inaction over growing cancer rates and target failures, the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign and Daily Express have challenged all major parties to commit to a dedicated national cancer plan in their election manifestos.
ARTICLE: King Charles and Kate’s bravery in cancer fight sparks fresh demand to end UK crisis
The call for a dramatic U-turn on cancer follows the bravery of the Princess of Wales, Catherine Windsor, and King Charles, in announcing their own diagnoses.
Yesterday it became public from NHS England statistics that 6,313 cancer patients waited more than three months to start treatment from an urgent GP referral in Quarter 4 2023/2024, one of the worst quarters in recent memory.
Professor Pat Price, chair of Radiotherapy UK and co-founder of #CatchUpWithCancer, said: “Crucial cancer treatments like radiotherapy could be doing so much more to treat patients quickly, but it isn’t happening. I feel for our cancer patients! Without a strategy to improve things, we will continue to see lives lost needlessly.”
The #CatchUpWithCancer campaign was co-founded by the Russell family in 2020. Craig and Mandy lost their daughter, Kelly Smith, at the age of 31. Her cancer treatment was stopped because of the pandemic and she died just a few weeks later, leaving behind her family and young son. Since then, the Russell family have campaigned tirelessly, urging the government to catch up with cancer.
