‘Survivors’ cancer tour

A national tour highlighting the role that early diagnosis can have on improving cancer survival is set to visit Newmains and Motherwell.

With the Detect Cancer Early ‘Survivors’ campaign currently on screens, the tour is focused on encouraging people in the region to act if they have a potential sign or symptom or are invited for screening, with tour staff on hand to provide information.

The tour, which stops off at Asda Newmains on August 25 and Asda Motherwell on August 28, comes as new research shows that although there is almost universal agreement that spotting cancer early improves your chances of survival, over a quarter of Scots (28 per cent) said just the thought of cancer puts them off checking for signs and symptoms.

Similarly, over a quarter (28 per cent) said that they might put off seeing their GP about a potential sign of cancer for fear of what they might be told.

Celia Briffa-watt, Consultant in Public Health for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Getting checked early is one of the main reasons why more people are now surviving cancer.

“If you have any concerns about any changes to your body, its best to make an appointment with your GP and get checked.”

“I would also encourage everyone who is eligible to take part in the national screening programmes which test for early signs of bowel, breast and cervical cancers.

“Taking part in cancer screening can detect cancers at their earliest stages and can save your life.”

The Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early campaign has been designed to help tackle the fear people have of the disease, which can often delay them seeing their GP practice or attending screening, by reinforcing the link between early cancer detection and survival.

A host of cancer survivors from across Scotland have added their voices to the drive, highlighting how their treatment was successful thanks to the disease being found early, in a bid to encourage people to act.

Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman added: “We’ve already seen progress in the number of early stage diagnoses of breast, bowel and lung cancers in Scotland through the Detect Cancer Early Programme, and continuing to raise awareness of the importance of early detection is key if we are to further improve Scotland’s cancer survival rates.”

For more info visit getcheckedearly.org.