My Breakthrough
Working with parliamentarians
This year the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer and Breakthrough Breast Cancer held their Summer Reception jointly with the NHS Breast Screening Programme (the Programme) on May 13 at the House of Commons. The reception was a great success, bringing together parliamentarians with key breast cancer advocates, healthcare professionals, scientists from Breakthrough’s Research Centre and Breakthrough supporters such as Avon and Standard Chartered Bank.
The reception marked the 20th anniversary of the Programme and reflected on its achievements as well as the future challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. One of the key tests in the next few years will be the introduction of digital mammography into the Programme, a key commitment made by the Government in its Cancer Reform Strategy last year.
The Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson MP, also spoke at the reception, paying tribute to both Breakthrough and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer. He highlighted the Programme’s tremendous success in carrying out 80 million screenings and diagnosing 100,000 breast cancers since its launch.
Maureen Lubert, patient advocate and CAN member, also addressed the audience. She spoke eloquently about her own personal experience of breast screening and highlighted the benefits. Maureen also stressed the importance of women attending their screening appointments.
The Breakthrough Patsy Calton Award 2008
A highlight of the reception was the presentation of the Breakthrough Patsy Calton Award which was set up in memory of the late Patsy Calton MP, former Joint Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer. This award recognises outstanding work by parliamentarians in campaigning for improvements in breast cancer services, treatments, research and care.This year’s winner was Michael Jack, Conservative MP for Fylde. Michael was chosen for his work with constituent and CAN member, Ursula Van Mann, to establish a new family history clinic in the Blackpool area, so that all women in the community would have access to this vital service.
“I think this award should be given not to me but to Ursula Van Mann. It is also a tribute to Breakthrough’s Westminster Fly-In. Without the regular contact with constituents like Ursula, Members of Parliament like me we would not be so well briefed on the priority issues that we should be campaigning on locally in order to improve the provision on services to help both detect and prevent breast cancer.”
- Michael Jack MP
Two additional presentations were made to commend Barry Gardiner MP and Richard Younger-Ross MP for their significant contributions to campaigning for improvements in local breast cancer services in their communities.
