Cabinet Secretary For Health & Wellbeing Hears Breast Cancer Patient Experiences At Breakthrough Breast Cancer's Scottish Launch Event

Main Category: Breast Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 18 Dec 2008 - 3:00 PST

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Nicola Sturgeon, MSP and Deputy First Minister & Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing heard breast cancer patients talk about their experiences of breast cancer services in Scotland at Breakthrough Breast Cancer's Scottish Conversation event on Wednesday 10th December. The first event held by Breakthrough in Scotland since the appointment of its new Director for Scotland, Audrey Birt, saw the charity canvassing the views of local breast cancer advocates and MSPs alongside health professionals, civil servants and scientists on the Government's cancer strategy and action plan, Better Cancer Care in order to help the charity focus on what it needs to do to improve breast cancer services in Scotland.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Across Scotland, breast cancer affects too many people and their families and we are determined do all we can to work with others to raise awareness and develop services. I very much welcomed the opportunity to hear from Breakthrough's campaigners today.

"The Scottish Government recognises the valuable contribution voluntary organisations such as Breakthrough Breast Cancer make to breast cancer patients, their families and carers and we wish to continue to work in partnership to ensure that we deliver the care necessary to help people live with and beyond their cancer.

"Scotland's Cancer action plan, Better Cancer Care, rightly puts patients at the heart of all we are trying to achieve in preventing and treating cancer. Essential to the development of this plan, and its success, is the input and contribution of many patients, clinicians and advocates. "Events such as this one organised by Breakthrough Breast Cancer Scotland provide a valuable opportunity for all those with an interest in the delivery of cancer services in Scotland to come together."

Audrey Birt, Breakthrough's new Director for Scotland said: "This event marks the start of Breakthrough's work in Scotland, championing the improvement of services for people affected by breast cancer and helping us achieve our vision of a future free from the fear of breast cancer.

"With around 4,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year in Scotland - and thousands more are living with the disease - Breakthrough wants to ensure the concerns and needs of people affected by breast cancer are represented at a political level. This event will help us make the best possible start in this aim by building relationships with a wide range of key stakeholders and listening to the views of everybody involved in breast cancer services in Scotland - from research scientists, MSPs and patients."

People attending Breakthrough's first event in Scotland were also given a virtual tour of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Scotland as Professor David Harrison, Director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit at the University of Edinburgh spoke about new frontiers in breast cancer research and Liz Preston, Clinical services director at the Western General Hospital talked about improving cancer services through collaboration.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer

- Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the UK's leading charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research, campaigning and education. Our essence comes from the thousands of people who are committed to a single vision - to work for a future free from the fear of breast cancer.

- Breakthrough has produced The Best Treatment: Your Guide to Breast Cancer Treatment in Scotland for women diagnosed with breast cancer. It is available to download here or by calling the Breakthrough Information Line on 08080 100 200.

Breast cancer in Scotland

- Around 4000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Scotland.
- Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and accounts for nearly 1 in 3 of all cancers in women in Scotland, and across the UK.
- More than 1000 women die of breast cancer every year in Scotland.
- Around 20 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Scotland.
- It is estimated that over 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Scotland will survive for at least five years.

Breakthrough's research

- The Breakthrough Research Unit, Edinburgh was opened in June 2008 by HRH The Prince of Wales (also known as the Duke of Rothesay) and is based at Univerity of Edinburgh laboratories, within the Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, and sited next to the Western General Hospital's Breast Unit. It is led by Unit Director Professor David Harrison, Professor of Pathology at The Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre and Unit Clinical Lead Mr Mike Dixon, Consultant Surgeon at the Western General Hospital.

- In 1999, Breakthrough Breast Cancer established the UK's first dedicated breast cancer research centre in partnership with the Institute of Cancer Research - The Breakthrough Toby Robins Breast Cancer Research Centre in the Mary-Jane Mitchell Green Building at the Chester Beatty Laboratories at The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

Breakthrough Breast Cancer