TODAY is Wear It Pink Day, and people across Barnsley will dress in pink to raise money and awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a day full of colour, but it carries a serious message. Catching breast cancer early saves lives.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. Every day, around 160 people are diagnosed. One in seven women will face it in their lifetime, and around 400 men are diagnosed each year too.
The earlier it is found, the easier it is to treat and the better the chance of survival. Breast cancer death rates have fallen by almost half since the 1970s, but around 11,200 people still die from it in the UK every year. Too many women are missing the chance to catch it early. Last year, NHS breast screening found cancer in more than 19,000 women in England, yet around 3 in 10 women did not take up their invitation.
Here in South Yorkshire, breast cancer is the most common cancer people are living with, making up 20% of all cases. Barnsley is lucky to have a brilliant breast unit at Barnsley Hospital. It sees more than 7,300 patients a year and treats around 250 people for breast cancer. Earlier this year, I visited the unit to see the team’s work firsthand, and I was proud to pay tribute to them in Parliament.
Our community has got behind them too. Barnsley Hospital Charity’s Breast Care Appeal hit its £250,000 target in less than a year, with local people running, baking, skydiving and even wing walking. The money will transform the unit into a calmer, more welcoming space for patients and their families.
Nationally, this Labour Government is determined to catch breast cancer earlier. This month, the Department of Health and Social Care announced a new partnership with Breast Cancer Now, running for three years, to help women check their breasts with confidence, spot changes and get advice sooner, with better support after treatment too. Through our Women’s Health Strategy, new breast pain clinics will open across the country by the end of this year, and more women with a family history of breast cancer will be able to get a genetic test to check their risk.
But the most important step is one we can all take ourselves. Whether you are wearing pink today or not, please learn what is normal for your body. If you notice any changes, speak to your GP. If you are a woman aged 50 to 71 and you are invited for screening, please go. It could save your life.