Farron welcomes major step forward in the fight against overian cancer
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has today welcomed a giant leap forward by ovarian cancer campaigners in the fight to raise awareness of the disease to help catch the cancer in its earlier stages.
Last Tuesday Tim was one of a small group of MPs as they met with Lib Dem Health Minister, Paul Burstow, to discuss the need to dramatically increase awareness of the fourth most common cause of cancer death amongst women.
Despite ovarian cancer being the most deadly of the gynaecological cancers and nearly four times more common than cervical cancer and despite evidence relating to lack awareness, rates of late diagnosis and delays in diagnosis, it is not currently included in the Department for Health's campaign to raise awareness of cancer symptoms.
Every year approximately 6,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the UK with almost 4,400 women dying of the disease annually.
In the meeting the Minister acknowledged the need to increase awareness ovarian in its early stages and said that research is currently being done within the Department for Health into a potential pilot awareness scheme for the next financial year. He also stated that he hoped a targeted screening scheme would be piloted next year on top of any awareness campaigns.
Speaking after the meeting Tim said: "Ovarian cancer is a terrible disease which I have personal experience of as my mum died from it in 2004. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2002 as one of the 75% of women who are diagnosed far too late, leading to 500 unnecessary deaths each year - a statistic that hasn't shown any significant improvement in almost a decade.
"I am really pleased that the Minister has acknowledge the need to increase awareness of this deadly cancer and that work in the Department for Health in now underway to make sure this happens. I will continue to work closely with Target Ovarian Cancer and the Ovarian Cancer All Party Group to keep the pressure on the Government to follow through and take action."