Bristol South MP Karin Smyth met with charity Breast Cancer Care to pledge support for people living with incurable secondary breast cancer, and called for data collection to improve the care available.
Following the meeting, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pressed David Cameron on the data issue during Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons.
Currently data for primary breast cancer is recorded, yet no accurate figures exist around the number of people diagnosed or living with incurable secondary breast cancer. Breast Cancer Care believes the poorer care people with the incurable disease often receive is due to these missing numbers making it nearly impossible to plan the vital services needed.
Karin Smyth said “It is extremely important to show my support for secondary breast cancer patients. Jeremy Corbyn is right to say that it should become a priority to ensure we have accurate data on people living with this incurable disease, and the Government must do more to support people affected by it.”
Breast Cancer Care wants to see the government commit to making the care and support for people living with the secondary breast cancer a priority.
Danni Manzi, Head of Policy & Campaigns at Breast Cancer Care, says: “We are extremely grateful to Karin for supporting our event. Data collection is crucial to improving the care and support available for the women and men living with secondary breast cancer.
“Only when we have the full picture about the numbers living with the disease can we make informed decisions to ensure care services are planned effectively and that everyone affected by secondary breast cancer gets the support they need from day one.”
Find out more about secondary breast cancer at www.breastcancercare.org.uk/secondary