Our Petition to the UK Government
When it closed at midnight on the 8th March - 109,063 UK citizens had signed our petition, calling for the UK Government to Invest in brain cancer and give rights – turn terminal into treatable
The petition represented six months of grassroots campaigning, with each member of Brain Cancer Justice sharing their stories and experiences with members of the public. High profile individuals have swelled support, such as the former boxer Frank Bruno and Commonwealth Games swimmer, Archie Goodburn, who is living with brain cancer. Other celebrities including Davina McCall, Piers Morgan, and widow of The Wanted singer Tom Parker – actress Kelsey Parker have all helped.
The petition has three core asks:
1. To increase brain cancer funding to speed up discoveries and trials
2. Universal access of WGS so every UK patient can access whole genome sequencing with personalised treatment
3. Enshrine the “Right to Try” innovative treatments.
In 2015/16 the Realf families petition stimulated an Inquiry, Report, and Westminster Hall Debate with over 70 MPs in attendance.
Our milestone, ten years on is a clear signal that public support for this topic has not abated in those years - this is a very clear mandate to Government - “You need to act”.
On the 9th March, six members of Brain Cancer Justice supported by Dr Scott Arthur MP, Clive Jones MP, Daisy Cooper MP, Lord Polak and John McDonnell MP handed in the signatures to No 10. Downing Street. Following on from the visit to Downing Street, members of the BCJ group met in Parliament Square for a rally, where they heard from members of the BCJ team: Dan Horrocks, Owen Sutton and Matthew Wilson. Dame Siobhain McDonagh MP, who is the chair of the APPG on Brain Tumours also spoke.
As Brain Cancer Justice we demand Justice for Brain Cancer patients, for those who have died, for those who are living with the disease and for those who will be receiving their diagnosis today, tomorrow and the future. The wrongs of the past can be righted, but only if we all choose to act.
We’ve got a ‘pathway to a cure’ report, we’ve got a 10 year NHS improvement plan, we’ve got a national cancer plan for England, we’ve got the promise of a National Brain Tumour Consortium (which is, as we write - yet to be fully funded). We’ve got the ability to sequence the Whole Genome in hours and days, not months and years.
Parliament must now consider this topic for debate - We look forward to the debate, many of the patients we speak to with a life limiting diagnosis want a “Right To Try”. A right to try off-label drugs, a right to try optune, a right to try Vorasidanib, a right to try cancer vaccines, a right to try immunotherapy, a right to go on a clinical trial, that doesn’t feature an unethical placebo arm. Don’t they deserve this right, before they die? This is why this topic must be debated - that is the job of parliment
Together we can shift the dial for Brain Cancer patients, AND the public wants us to… We are Brain Cancer Justice, and we are here to stay!
