White Rose Voices

I was born in Leeds, and I’ve lived here for many years now; I’m proper Yorkshire. I love our city and the region but sadly, resources are limited here. I’m worried about common cancer issues, like smoking, that are being passed onto the next generation. But we can put a stop to that and bring about new change. Standing with Yorkshire and sending a white rose to London is like a pebble sending out ripples in a pond: the possibilities that could come out of that one small act are endless.

Rates of cancer in Sheffield and across Yorkshire really worry me. There’s a lot of work to be done to improve when people are diagnosed early and provide better treatment. To have a prehabilitation and rehabilitation service like Active Together available in all towns and cities would be amazing. If everyone diagnosed with cancer could benefit from the same kind of support I received, their experience from diagnosis onwards could be truly transformed. That's why it's so important to call the Government's attention

As a family, we’ve been through a lot in terms of cancer. Sarah and I feel lucky that we’ve been able to travel to receive our treatments but there needs to be more investment in resources and a fairer distribution of treatment centres so everyone in this very large county can access what they need to save their lives. I want to be a voice for change, and that change happens by righting the health inequalities experienced by people across Yorkshire.

From my time on the Research Advisory Panel, I’ve become acutely aware of how the geography and demographic of where you live significantly influences the quality of your treatment and the chances of survival. My cancer was caught early, which is why I am alive today, and I felt lucky to be diagnosed and treated in Harrogate. However, this experience varies dramatically for people across Yorkshire. You can’t answer the unique problems of a remote Yorkshire town by looking at inner city London. That’s why, in a country where we try to treat everyone fairly, I am supporting Yorkshire Cancer Research’s request for the extra funding and focus that our region requires to help bridge that gap.

Screening is so important. It can be the first step in detecting any problems, so to miss those important appointments can be the difference between life and death. Every woman is different, every woman has different reasons in her life for missing screening, but what we need to be doing is highlighting how important it is. I would like to see the Government put more money into screening programmes to ensure we have equitable services across the country. We know people in Yorkshire are more likely to get cancer and more likely to die of cancer, and screening is a crucial way we can change this.

The Government should be doing more to help people in rural communities. The six weeks of radiotherapy was hard for me, because I had to go every day to James Cook Hospital which is about 45 miles away. Patient transport doesn’t cover all treatment, and you can’t catch a bus there. I don’t drive so I had to rely on friends to take me there. Thanks to their support, I was able to have my treatment without the worry or stress of wondering how I was going to get to my appointments. I would urge people to send a white rose to London because it’s important the Government invests in the future of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment in North Yorkshire.

Thanks to my lung health check, my lung cancer was found early which is why I didn’t need any chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It’s why I’m still here today. I tell everybody that they should attend screening if they are invited – it could save their life. I needed surgery to remove the tumour in my lung, and Active Together helped prepare me for that by making sure I was as fit and as mentally prepared as I could be. I want the Government to roll out lung screening and exercise programmes as quickly as possible so more lives can be saved. That’s why I’m urging everyone to back Yorkshire Cancer Research’s White Rose campaign.