Yorkshire Cancer Research calls on political leaders to help change Yorkshire’s cancer story

Yorkshire Cancer Research has launched the Change Yorkshire’s Cancer Story campaign to urge the new Government and Yorkshire’s political leaders to commit to a long-term cancer strategy, so more people in the region can live longer, healthier lives, free of cancer.

Launched on Yorkshire Day, the campaign is encouraging people to join the campaign and write to their MP, asking for stronger action to be taken to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer more effectively in Yorkshire.

Data shows that 31,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in Yorkshire each year, and the region has a rate of diagnosis that is higher than many other parts of England.

Yorkshire Cancer Research is funding £61 million to protect and save lives in Yorkshire, bringing world-leading cancer research to the region and giving more people with cancer access to pioneering new cancer treatments and services.

The charity is calling for the new Government, Yorkshire’s MPs and the region’s directly elected mayors to improve cancer outcomes in Yorkshire by addressing four key areas.

1. Make earlier diagnosis of cancer a priority for Yorkshire by removing barriers to attending appointments and screening, as well as increasing awareness of cancer symptoms. 
   Currently, 1 in 2 cancers in Yorkshire are diagnosed at a late stage, when cancer is often harder to treat.
2. Improve cancer treatment so everyone diagnosed with cancer in Yorkshire can access pioneering new treatments.
   Research has found that taking part in a specialist cancer exercise programme before, during and after other cancer treatments – such as surgery or chemotherapy - can significantly increase cancer survival and reduce the risk of some cancers coming back by up to 66%.
3. Increase the focus on cancer prevention, including a commitment to a smokefree future for Yorkshire and a plan to tackle excess alcohol consumption and obesity.
   Each year, nearly 12,000 people in Yorkshire are diagnosed with a preventable cancer. A greater focus on cancer prevention means fewer people in Yorkshire will experience the impact of cancer and cancer treatment.
4. Support fairer investment in cancer research for Yorkshire, so more people in the region can take part in life-saving cancer research, such as clinical trials and pioneering new services.
   Despite making up 8% of the UK population, Yorkshire receives under 5% of health research funding. Yorkshire Cancer Research is working to ensure more people in Yorkshire can access new cancer treatments and take part in clinical trials.
   

David Gold, from Leeds, took part in the FOxTROT3 clinical trial after he was diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer in 2023. Funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research, the trial explores whether giving specific groups of patients a course of chemotherapy before surgery can help improve cancer outcomes.

Amy Livingstone, who joined the charity in July 2023, is a Lead Fitness Instructor for Active Together, a pioneering exercise service provided at the Yorkshire Cancer Research Centre in Harrogate. Active Together offers free personalised fitness, nutrition and wellbeing support for people following a cancer diagnosis, delivered by a team of qualified professionals.

Amy said: “As a cancer exercise specialist at Yorkshire Cancer Research, I help people with cancer prepare for, and recover from, cancer treatment. This new approach to cancer treatment is helping to increase cancer survival. Surviving cancer should not be a postcode lottery but, sadly, people are more likely to have their lives cut short by cancer in Yorkshire than almost anywhere else in England.”

Yorkshire Cancer Research’s long-term goal is for exercise-based treatment to become a standard part of care embedded in and delivered by the NHS across Yorkshire and beyond so that one day, everyone with a cancer diagnosis in Yorkshire can benefit from these services.

In addition to funding world-leading research and services to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, Yorkshire Cancer Research aims to ensure the needs and priorities of the region are heard and understood at a national level.