Page 12 - BPW-UK - E-news - Edition 123 - July 2024 - Binded

The following is an article close to home
as it concerns President Jo's cousin Charlotte:

Bristol lawyer calls for change as she fights cancer
and urges next Government to save more lives
By Alison Birkett, Contributor-Comment

Bristol lawyer Charlotte Barry didn’t expect to be marking her 30th birthday
undergoing breast cancer treatment.
She says that thanks to early diagnosis and to treatments discovered by

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/
she is backing the charity’s Turning Point for Cancer campaign and she is calling for the
next UK Government to help save more lives from cancer.
Underlining unacceptable cancer waiting times and an alarming £1bn gap in funding for life-
saving research, Charlotte believes tackling the disease must be a top election priority for
all political parties.
She is currently waiting to find out what surgery she needs following a shock diagnosis.
Her call comes as new analysis from the charity reveals around 210,000 people in the
Southwest are projected to be diagnosed with cancer in the next five years.
Having marked her 30th birthday last month, Charlotte is sharing her story to highlight the
importance of knowing your body and what feels right for you, no matter what age you are.

She said: “Cancer is the defining health issue of our time. So many people’s lives are
touched by this devastating disease and the numbers are only growing. That is why we
must make sure cancer is at the forefront of the minds of all future MPs.
“I am passionate about encouraging young people to have the confidence to go the GP
when they have concerns. My message is for everyone to check yourself and don’t be afraid
to see your doctor if you have any concerns and to be able to push for a referral if you think
something isn’t right.”
She added: “I was blind-sided by my diagnosis. I did-
n’t know anyone with cancer and certainly didn’t know
what to expect. The breast cancer nurse was lovely
and gave me a lot of information and did say that it
was treatable.

“I know I am going to have a mastectomy and possi-
bly a double mastectomy as a preventative measure. I
still have further treatment ahead of me and I didn’t
expect to be marking my 30th year like this.
“But research into better treatments and the incredible NHS have given me hope and more
precious time. It’s a different story for many and so I’m determined to do everything I can
to campaign to help others.
Cancer Research UK’s calculations reveal that within five years, the next
UK Government could help prevent around 550 deaths from the disease in
the Southwest; that’s if a long-term, fully funded cancer strategy is rapidly
rolled out after the election, along with measures to support research and
better prevent, diagnose and treat the disease. With sustained progress, this could rise to
around 3,100 deaths avoided in the region in a decade.

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