Local health care trusts to get cash for cancer awareness

Local NHS organisations are about to receive £8 million in cash to help fund the early diagnosis of cancer.

Primary Care Trusts are now being invited to bid for up to £100,000 to fund campaigns targeting killer breast, colorectal and lung cancer.

The money will be allowed for use on initiatives including advertising, public information and outreach work.

The Government has set a target to make sure patients with symptoms of cancer get results from tests for cancer diagnosis within a week.

The cash is aiming to save around 10,000 extra lives each year by encouraging people with suspicious symptoms to seek help as soon as possible.

Cancer Research UK Chief Executive Harpal Kumar said:  “This campaign is part of a critically important programme of work designed to ensure that patients in the UK have their cancers detected as early as possible.

“All too often cancer is found at a late stage when it’s harder to treat. For example, 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be cured if treated early but only 13 per cent are detected at the earliest stage.”