MP launches postcard asking people to tell their story as part of cancer unit campaign

South Lakes MP Tim Farron today launched a postcard which will allow local residents to tell NHS bosses their personal stories and help back the campaign to bring radiotherapy services to Westmorland General.

The card will be delivered by volunteers to more than 30,000 homes across Westmorland and theSouth Lakes over the coming weeks. Tim launched the postcard at Kendal's birdcage at the top of Finkle Street. Last week Tim said that he was 'overwhelmed' by the public response to the campaign. Over 3000 local residents have signed the petition to back the campaign in a matter of a few short weeks.

The campaign was launched after the huge success in bringing the chemotherapy unit to the hospital. If radiotherapy services were provided in Kendal, it would save patients from a 100 mile round trip to Prestonto receive treatment.

Recently the campaign gained a major boost when the Westmorland Gazette newspaper joined the fight for a radiotherapy unit.

Tim commented: "Today when I was standing at the birdcage in Kendal, I spoke to dozens of people who were eager to tell me their personal experiences of cancer treatment. The postcard we launched today will allow thousands of local residents to make sure that their experiences of cancer treatment are heard by NHS bosses. It will help us to strengthen our case for radiotherapy coming to Kendal. Having the backing of so many local residents and our much loved local paper the Westmorland Gazette shows how important this campaign is. I meet so many people who tell me that a radiotherapy unit in the South Lakes will make a massive difference. It will allow patients to not have to travel debilitating distances and instead to be close to friends and family at a time when they most need their support. Having lost my mother to cancer this campaign is incredibly personal to me, but its also very personal to thousands of other people in our area."