Cancer. It’s a word that will stop you in your tracks.
It affects thousands of families across the West Midlands every year. Around 3 in 500 people are diagnosed with cancer annually, meaning approximately 39,000 people within our 6.5 million population will face cancer.
More than half of cancers in our region are now diagnosed at stage one or two when treatment works best. That’s not a statistic. That’s more birthdays celebrated. More school runs. More Saturday matches. Early detection doesn’t just save lives, it protects futures.
There is reason for hope. The new National Cancer Plan for England sets out a clear ambition: by 2035, three in four people diagnosed with cancer will survive at least five years or live well beyond their diagnosis. Reaching that goal means earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and more personalised care.
The National Cancer Plan for England also outlines how it will:
- Expand lung cancer screening across England.
- Improve breast, bowel and cervical screening programmes.
- Increase access to tests and scans closer to home.
- Use new technology and genomic testing to detect cancer earlier.
The National Cancer Plan gives us a clear direction of travel. Our job locally is to turn that ambition into real improvements for the people and families we serve.
Read the National Cancer Plan for England here.