MP tells Commons heartbreaking story of local cancer patient who chose to decline radiotherapy treatment because of long journey

Local MP Tim Farron used the debate on the Queen's Speech to once again make the case for a radiotherapy unit at Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Tim said: "An older lady called Liz diagnosed with skin cancer told me, again not very long ago, that she was choosing to decline the radiotherapy treatment that had been recommended by her oncologist. Why? Because of her age, she just could not cope with the journey. So Liz made the conscious choice to have a shorter life because the journey that she would have to take to get the treatment was too long.

"Will the Minister accept the radiotherapy manifesto in full to enact all the things that are set out within it, as agreed cross-party? I am bound to ask, on behalf of the people of my communities in South Lakes, that we invest now to end the long, long wait for people to have a radiotherapy satellite unit at our hospital, the Westmorland General in Kendal."

In response, the health minister Edward Agar said he was "very happy" to meet with Tim to discuss the issue of radiotherapy provision.