LaLupes’ Report on Westminster Lobby – LONG POST!!
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Thank you, Snezzie – yes it does!! It makes me want to keep going & do as much as I possibly can.
I really like the ideas you’ve been coming up with for February Awareness Month – & for raising awareness generally. I hope we can plan something for Feb that we can all do together, however far apart we may be.
My best wishes
JuliaJulia—you and what you are doing is so very admirable and inspiring to me.
It must give you a very nice feeling inside to know that you are truly making a difference.Snezzie
Thank you all very, very much. I feel so good being able to DO something – however small – to chip away at this barrier of ignorance about cc which is hampering us all in our fight to beat this disease.
Wow how inspiring Julia! Thank you for championing cc. I’m from Bingley-did you get to know the two you shared a taxi with?
KateHi Julia,
Thank you for sharing your day with us, and thank you for bringing CC to their attention.
We are so proud of you.
hugs
Andrea
Julia,
What a great experience for you and what a great spokeswoman you are for cc!
I would have been really nervous as well, last night at the author event I attended I went up to the microphone to ask a question only to have the person before me ask my question. I came up with something else mildly intelligent and was thrilled to have engaged in the discussion.
I also firmly believe that we need more women in political office, if you decide to run I will be the Chicago arm of your campaign!
Patty
Julia…..”Early detection” is the key. I am so glad that you had the opportunity to attend this event let alone were able to mention our cancer. I strongly believe that your day had an impact on cancer patients and physicians, researchers and politicians. Way to go. Thanks for sharing.
Best wishes,
MarionHi Julia,
Thank you so much for this! And thank you also for sharing your day with us all here. As if a tube strike could stop the 70 of you, not!! I am glad that you had such a good day and that you are making an impact with these MP’s, and the next time they see you, THEY will be feeling intimidated!!!!
What great stuff indeed!
Best wishes,
Gavin
Thank-you Julia for your attending, for your time and for the great report. We are so proud to say you are ours.
The Objective of the Cancer Research UK Lobby of Parliament on Wednesday 3rd November 2010 was to ask that doctors should be:
1. granted increased access to diagnostic tests &
2. asked to record accurate data on the Stage at which Patients’ cancers are diagnosed.
Despite the London-wide tube strike, over 70 Ambassadors joined the Lobby. Taxis were provided for us at the main London Railway Stations, so I joined Jean & Jim (from Bingley) & Tom (from Sleaford) in a cab from Kings Cross to the Lobby Headquarters in Great Smith Street, Westminster.
The Ambassadors’ briefing included talks from Harpal Kumar (Chief Executive), Sarah Woolnough (Head of Policy) & an ex-MP, Lord Willis of Knaresborough. The focus of these talks – &, indeed, of the whole day – was very much on Early Diagnosis.
Cancer is not one disease (there are 200 different types of cancer … that makes 200 problems) & each cancer is individual, even within the same type. Cancer Research UK is the only UK charity dedicated to beating ALL types of cancer & gets no Government money. Only by funding research into both the rare & the more common cancers will everyone have a chance.
We were told the most powerful meetings MPs can have is with their constituents & that the Lobby should be about winning the hearts & minds of our MPs.
Although survival rates overall have doubled over the past 40 years, the UK’s cancer outcomes are poorer than those of our international neighbours. Sweden, Finland & parts of Germany, France, Canada & Australia have better outcomes than ours. With the rarer “Unmet Needs” cancers (some examples given were; Oesophageal Cancer, Endometrial Cancer & Pancreatic Cancer), improvements in the survival rates are not so high. As we were told, “We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.”
In the UK, 260 MPs have pledged to the Cancer Research UK’s “Commit to Beat Cancer” campaign, to:
– detect cancer earlier
– provide world class cancer treatment
– prevent more cancers
– tackle cancer inequalities
– protect the UK’s research baseThere are so many different symptoms for different cancers & it is clear that we need to increase awareness as well as changing the culture which leads people to delay seeking medical advice; British reserve? We mustn’t bother the doctor? – Pah!!
After the briefings, batches of Ambassadors congregated to walk across Parliament Square
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