How to save a life
Three hundred Maltese people are diagnosed with breast cancer ever year.
Pink October serves as an awareness month to reach out to all women and men and encourage them to take preventive measures in the fight against breast cancer. But not just. Pink October is closely followed by awareness on men’s health in November.
These months make us more aware about battles cancer patients have to face. As an MEP, I met countless non-governmental organizations and dedicated workers who provide support to patients, families, friends and professionals who have to deal with testing times. Their dedication is inspiring as much as it makes a huge difference in the quality of care that cancer patients are provided with.
As a Member of the European Parliament’s public health committee (ENVI), I focus on prevention and working to ensure that patients enjoy equal access to quality healthcare. The European Commission is constantly updating the recommendations set in its guidelines on breast screening and diagnosis. Such guidelines include details on screening ages and frequencies, how to invite and inform women about screening, how to organise breast cancer screening programmes and how to inform of their results. There are also guidelines on different stages of breast cancer and the treatment of invasive breast cancer.
Together with Commissioner designate for Health Stella Kyriakides, European Commission President-elect Ursula Von der Leyen will be putting forward Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to support Member States to improve cancer prevention and care. The plan should propose actions to strengthen the approach at every key stage of the disease: prevention, diagnosis, treatment, life as a cancer survivor and palliative care. As a full member of ENVI, I will strive to see that the Commission delivers on these promises.
It is important to establish standards for professionals working in screening programmes. The standard of screening in Malta is high and the National Breast Screening Programme carries out free screening on women between 50 and 68 years of age. If cancer is identified at its early stages, there is a bigger chance of successful treatment and recovery. The purpose of screening is to detect cancers early, when they cannot be seen or felt. In fact, a mammogram can detect small changes in breast tissue which may indicate cancers which are too small to be felt either by the patient themselves or by a doctor.
In addition to good screening programmes, we have the responsibility to push forward agendas that safeguard European citizens, from ensuring the quality of their daily life to minimising their exposure to carcinogens at work. The latter is estimated to be the leading cause of work-related deaths in the European Union. Many exposures are preventable through risk assessments, preventive measures adopting stringent EU measures whilst ensuring proper implementation of measures already in place. I believe that we must make use of all the advances and research available in order to assess risks of exposure to carcinogens and set preventive measures to take account of all possible means of exposure.
Quality of life is vital in the fight against cancer. This time last year, the European Parliament approved the legislation I worked on to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars and light commercial vehicles by 2030. A better environment provides for better health.
Between listening to our own body and implementing policies that matter, we can strengthen our position in the fight against cancer. These two months and the two movements linked to it, Pink October and Movember, serve as an excellent time for us to encourage each other to prioritise our health. Every single one of these appeals can save a life.