RUTHERGLEN MSP MARKS END OF PANCREATIC CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

For immediate release:

Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey attended an event at the Scottish Parliament last week marking the end of pancreatic cancer awareness month. The event, jointly organised by Pancreatic Cancer UK and Pancreatic Cancer Scotland, heard from survivors of the cancer and the families of those who had sadly passed.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most severe forms of cancer which just 4.6 per cent of people survive for five years or more in Scotland. Survival has shown little improvement since the early 1970s and over 800 people are diagnosed in Scotland each year.

In 2015, 812 people in Scotland were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and of them 749 died from the disease. Its five-year survival rate is less than 7 per cent across the UK – which is the worst survival rate of the 20 most common cancers. The disease tragically took the lives of 98 people from within the Lanarkshire health board area last year.

Commenting, Clare Haughey MSP said:

“I was shocked to hear about the survival rates of pancreatic cancer, yet it is not a cancer that we regularly hear about.

“It is a very cruel disease but early diagnosis can improve a patients chance of survival by giving them access to early treatment and I would urge anyone with worrying symptoms to go and see their GP.

“I am determined to spread awareness of the cancer, and I was proud to join with the charities who make a real difference in helping those affected and their families.”

Diana Jupp, Chief Executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK, added:

“We are delighted to have the support of Clare Haughey MSP in our effort to transform the future for everyone affected by pancreatic cancer. We were excited to be a part of the first ever parliamentary debate on the disease in Scotland recently, and hope that this will be the start of real change.

“However, we do still have much more to do for everyone affected by this disease. 80 per cent of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage when the one potentially life-saving treatment of surgery is not possible, and the disease attracts just 1.9 per cent of the UK cancer research budget per year.

“We are determined to change this. In order to tackle this disease, we must all take on pancreatic cancer together.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Below is a photograph of Clare Haughey MSP at the Pancreatic Awareness parliamentary event.