Cancer screening; why is it important?

In breaking new last month, we learned that six-times Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and our heart goes out to everyone affected by this devastating news. 

The sad reality is that there are an estimated 3 million people living with cancer in the UK. According to statistics from Macmillan, this is set to rise to 3.5 million by 2025, 4 million by 2030 and 5.3 million by 2040.  

On average someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer every 90 seconds and an average of 460 people die from the disease every day. So what can we do to slow the effect of this devastating disease. 

Whilst lifestyle changes can have obvious health benefits, unfortunately this is not always enough to prevent the onset of cancer, which is why cancer screening has become so important. 

Cancer screening uses tests to find people who may: 

• have cancer – so it can be treated early and effectively 
• need treatment or monitoring – to prevent cancer developing. 

Diagnosing cancer early can mean treatment is more effective and less complex. The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better your chance of survival and being cured.  

You can read more about the different types of screening and where to find help here. 

When someone has cancer, it can affect the whole family. All families are different, and each family responds differently when someone is diagnosed with cancer, so it is vital that everyone gets the support they need as quickly and seamlessly as possible. 

This is why we are delighted to have partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support to deliver a three-year project, Talking About Cancer Together, across Norfolk.  

This initiative aims to collaborate with the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and local communities to raise awareness of the support and services available for individuals affected by cancer, both locally and nationally.  

The project provides the VCSE sector, their clients, service users, and local communities with access to a wide range of cancer-related information, resources, and support from various local and national providers. 

If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the project, please contact Kate at kate.doe@communityactionnorfolk.org.uk. You can also read more about the project here and here.