Steve Brine met with Breast Cancer Care in Parliament on Tuesday 13th October 2015 to pledge support for people living with incurable secondary breast cancer by calling for data collection to improve the care available.
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 near impossible to plan the vital services needed.
On Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day, Steve attended the parliamentary event, which was hosted by Craig Tracey MP, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer, to meet women who are living with the disease, and to show their support for the charity's campaign.
Steve, himself a former co-chair of the All-Party Group before his promotion to PPS, said:
"It is extremely important to be here today to show my support for secondary breast cancer patients. It is shocking we still don't have accurate data on those living with the incurable disease and this must be made a priority."
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, said: "We are extremely grateful to Steve Brine for coming along to our event and showing his support. Data collection is crucial to improving the care and support available for the women and men living with secondary breast cancer.
"Despite it being mandatory in England for hospitals to collect data on how many are diagnosed with the disease, this is still not happening consistently.
"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."
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Breast Cancer Care's campaign