Cross Cancer Out Campaign Backed By Labour Candidate

24th October 2014

CAITHNESS, SUTHERLAND AND EASTER ROSS ELECTION CANDIDATE COMMITS TO CROSS CANCER OUT

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross election candidate John Erskine PPC is backing an appeal to help save the lives of more people with cancer in the constituency and across the UK.

With the countdown to the General Election under way, the Scottish Labour party candidate has lent his support to Cancer Research UK's ‘Cross Cancer Out’ campaign.

Playing on the idea of a ballot paper, the campaign asks election candidates to help ‘Cross Cancer Out’ by backing a raft of vital measures to ensure cancer patients are diagnosed much earlier and have greater access to the best possible treatments.

Thanks to research, survival rates have doubled in the UK in the last forty years. But with more and more people being diagnosed, Cancer Research UK says determined political action is urgently needed to save more lives.

John Erskine said: "We must not underestimate the devastating impact that cancer will have on families in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross now and in the future. The good news is cutting-edge research carried out by charities like Cancer Research UK is turning the tables on the disease, but it is clear there is a critical role for politicians to play in helping to detect cancer earlier and bring innovative new treatments to patients faster.

“The political drive to beat cancer must match the pace of progress in research. That’s why I’m backing the ‘Cross Cancer Out’ campaign and joining the fight to beat cancer sooner."

Sarah Woolnough, Executive Director of Policy and Information at Cancer Research UK said: “We know the earlier patients can be diagnosed and access the treatments they need, the more lives will be saved.

“The next Government’s decisions will affect how fast and how far we progress in the next five years, towards our goal of beating the disease. It is a big ambition but we know with the right political support we will get there sooner - so we’re asking all local election candidates to make a commitment to ‘Cross Cancer Out’ and help ensure no-one’s life is cut short by the disease.”
For more information and ways to get involved in the campaign, visit cruk.org/crosscancerout or join the conversation on twitter #CrossCancerOut.

ENDS
For press enquiries please contact John Erskine on 07786084843
Notes to Editors:
About ‘Cross Cancer Out’

Playing on the idea of a ballot paper, Cancer Research UK’s new campaign asks election candidates to help ‘Cross Cancer Out’ by backing a raft of measures to improve cancer survival in the UK.

The charity is calling for determined political action to ensure cancer patients are diagnosed much sooner and have greater access to the best possible treatments including by:

· Continuing support for campaigns to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer;

· Committing to increase participation in the bowel cancer screening programme;

· Ensuring equal access to innovative radiotherapy, surgery and effective cancer drugs, including drugs targeted to patients’ tumours.


For more information visit cruk.org/crosscancerout.