Steve Brine, MP for Winchester and Chandler's Ford, recently attended a Number 10 Downing Street reception hosted by Samantha Cameron, for research charity Breast Cancer Campaign.
The event launched Breast Cancer Campaign's new project that will transform the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for women with breast cancer.
The event brought together breast cancer experts, women living with breast cancer and high profile supporters touched by the disease including presenter Kirstie Allsopp, singers Beverley Knight and Linda Nolan, Breast Cancer Campaign Patron Dame Jenni Murray and comediennes Olivia Lee and Morwenna Banks.
Leading research charity Breast Cancer Campaign, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year, is launching its Breast Cancer Gap Analysis 2013 to identify the research gaps that need filling in order to accelerate research and detect ground-breaking new ways to unlock the cure for the tens of thousands of women treated for breast cancer every year.
During the Downing Street event Mrs Cameron spoke of the devastating impact that breast cancer has and the growing statistics that can't be ignored. Since the early eighties, incidence of breast cancer has increased by nearly 60% in the UK, with more women than ever diagnosed every year.
The new project follows on from the success of the charity's first Gap Analysis, in 2006, which identified a shortage of breast cancer tissue that scientists vitally needed to translate research quickly and effectively to patients. Breast Cancer Campaign responded to this by creating its Tissue Bank, the first in the UK to address the need and provide thousands of samples to scientists throughout the UK and Ireland.
Steve Brine, Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer, said: "I was delighted to attend this important event and meet so many interesting and inspirational people. This event was a reminder that there is still so much to do when it comes to breast cancer. Every year in the UK around 50,000 women and more than 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer and that is why the research funded by Breast Cancer Campaign is so important. We need to make sure that research into breast cancer continues so that one day we find a cure for this disease."
Breast Cancer Campaign's Chief Executive Baroness Delyth Morgan, speaking at the event at Downing Street said: "When Breast Cancer Campaign was set up 25 years ago breast cancer was a disease that we knew little about; still a taboo subject publically, despite being something that mothers, daughters and sisters lost their lives to.
"Significant progress has been made but there are critical gaps in research and opportunities to translate research breakthroughs still being missed that we vitally need for women with breast cancer. The Gap Analysis 2013 sees a hundred international scientists across the UK joining forces to overcome barriers and speed up the journey to a cure.
"Mrs Cameron's support in the fight against breast cancer could not be more timely, giving hope to the millions of people affected by the disease; family, friends and loved ones."
The results of Breast Cancer Campaign's Gap Analysis 2013 will be published in autumn this year.
Pictured; Steve Brine and co-chair of the All-Party Group Annette Brooke MP with TV's Kirstie Allsopp at the event.
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