Brian Whittle MSP attended an event run by Cancer Research UK in the Scottish Parliament this week to celebrate Scotland’s world class cancer research.
The MSP for South Scotland heard from Dr Karen Blyth from the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute and met the fundraisers, volunteers and scientists from across Scotland who make Cancer Research UK’s research happen.
In 2016, over 31,300 people in Scotland diagnosed with cancer[i]. The good news is that more people are beating the disease than ever before. Cancer survival rates in the UK have doubled in the last forty years and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress[ii].
Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, the charity was able to spend more than £34 million in Scotland last year on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research.
Brian Whittle MSP said: “Cancer has a huge effect on families across South Scotland so it has been fantastic to celebrate the work of those who research cancer across Scotland, as well as to meet the people whose fundraising help make Cancer Research UK’s work possible.”
“The charity’s cutting-edge research is turning the tables on cancer. But it is clear there is also a critical role for politicians to play in helping to detect the disease earlier and bring innovative new treatments to patients faster.”
Gregor McNie, Head of External Affairs at Cancer Research UK, said: “One in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives, but thanks to our supporters, Cancer Research UK is able to fund some of the best and most promising research here in Scotland, to help more and more people survive.
“Cancer survival has doubled since the early 1970s in the UK and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress – but every step our doctors, nurses and scientists take relies on donations from the public and the tireless fundraising of our supporters.”
[i] To read the full ISD Scotland report, please visit: http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Publications/
[ii] Ten-year survival rates in the UK increased from 24% in 1971-2 to 49.8% in 2010-11. For more information visit: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/s…
