A Voice for Radiotherapy

Cancer Research UK Campaign

Cancer Research UK, as part of their involvement with the Year of Radiotherapy, to raise awareness and support for this life-saving treatment, are collecting petition signatures for their Voice for Radiotherapy campaign.

They plan to present the signatures to Number 10 in the coming months, and already over 13,000 people have signed up.

Shortages in staff and equipment mean that some patients are missing out on this potentially life-saving treatment. There are many of the building blocks to deliver world-class radiotherapy and they hope that the Voice for Radiotherapy campaign will help to show the support that radiotherapy services need. The campaign calls on the government for an action plan in England to reduce unequal access and ensure that all services have the appropriate workforce, the best treatments and the capacity for the future.

In addition to the petition, to kick-start the Year of Radiotherapy, Cancer Research UK’s Policy and Public Affairs Team organised a briefing for MPs in Parliament. Their mission was to give radiotherapy a higher profile, building stronger political support for providing world-class radiotherapy services in the UK. As the 31 attending MPs discovered, radiotherapy is far from being outdated or old-fashioned. Four in ten people who beat cancer have received radiotherapy, and over 120,000 cancer patients in the UK benefit from the treatment every year. Professor Michelle Saunders, former director of the Cancer Research UK Tumour Biology and Radiation Therapy Group, explained how cutting-edge new techniques are helping to target the cancer-fighting powers of radiotherapy. This ensures that cancer cells are hit harder, making the treatment even more effective and helping to minimise side effects.

Click here for more information or to sign the petition for the Voice for Radiotherapy campaign.