Reeling in pain after an operation before I started cancer treatment I watched as a healthcare assistant tied up my shoelaces. In that moment I felt immensely grateful as it meant I could go outside for the first time in what felt like forever. But I also felt guilty as they were doing something for me that I should have been able to do myself. Nowadays I can tie my own shoelaces but I’m also a lot less shy about asking for help. This is why this week I’ve done something I never thought I’d do. I’ve written to an MP. Well, I’ve actually written to several MPs in the hope of trying to catch them before they take a break for party conference season.
Instead of filling them in about topics like the flytipping at the back of my block of flats or the potholes, which do need filling in, I’ve written to them about the Daily Express’s Cancer Care campaign. The ones I’ve chosen are the heads of what is known in politics land as APPGs, which stands for all-party parliamentary groups. They are made up of politicians from opposing parties but instead of bickering like they might be inclined to do while debating issues on the famous leather benches in the chambers of Parliament, in these groups they discuss topics and try to make things better.
And crucially the ones I’ve chosen are all part of APPGs for cancers or health. After all it wouldn’t make much sense if I contacted the head of the APPG for British Buses, or the one for Customer Service, or Fairgrounds and Circuses, as they would probably just be confused.
We live in a world where most meetings could just be an email, but I’ve requested meetings with the APPGs because I need to be sure that they fully understand what needs to change.
As I state in my letters: “Cancer is the worst thing that most people will go through in their lifetime, and yet mental health support is quite often lacklustre at best, and non-existent at worst.
“I’m leading the Daily Express’s Cancer Care campaign because I know just how important it is for cancer patients to have help with any emotional and mental issues they are going through, both during and after treatment.
“Since being diagnosed with incurable cancer myself two years ago, I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be to access support, and I want to change that.
“I’ve heard of people who have been given the all-clear from cancer but have killed themselves because they are so scared of it returning. I’ve heard of people who have only survived with the help of their GPs or organisations like the Samaritans.
“According to the Department for Health, people with cancer are supposed to receive a holistic needs assessment either when they are diagnosed or shortly after. But this isn’t happening in most cases, and in the rare occurrences where it does happen, people have told me this hasn’t been fit for purpose.
“The Daily Express is campaigning for every NHS cancer patient to have a holistic needs assessment, and for these to be constantly updated as their treatment progresses.
“Mental health issues are the main side effect of all cancers, with patients forced to deal with a new, very uncertain reality, but medical teams don’t ask their patients about them. This must change.”
Hopefully the APPGs will agree with me and I’ll have some positive news to shout about soon.