Hansard

I, too, congratulate Linda Fabiani on securing the debate on an issue of which many members will have personal experience—either themselves or through family members, neighbours or friends. I pay tribute to the women and men who are diagnosed with breast cancer and to the doctors, nurses, carers, families and friends who support them through often traumatic experiences.

The debate is all the more poignant for me because, as some members will know, my mum is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer at Crosshouse hospital in Irvine. I thank members from across the chamber for their kind words of support over the past few months and I offer my encouragement to those who are here today who are similarly affected. My mum is doing fantastically well. I am certainly proud of her strength and courage and her determination to win her battle against cancer, as I did mine more than 20 years ago when I was 19. Had it not been for my mum’s support and that of the many doctors and nurses who got me through it at the Beatson cancer centre in Glasgow, I know that I would not be here today.

I am sure that many of us are aware of the debate surrounding the Scottish Government’s current detect cancer early scheme and the advert featuring Elaine C Smith, which has made headlines not just in Scotland, but across the United Kingdom. To be honest, it is great news that people are aware of the campaign. If just a handful more women check for the symptoms that are detailed in the advert and appreciate that lumps are not the only signs of breast cancer, it will have been worth it.

We can stand here and welcome the £30 million of funding for such programmes, but I believe that ensuring protection for our nation’s healthcare is more important than putting a monetary value on our national health service. Getting the right sort of educational message to people from a young age on how to check themselves and spot signs of breast cancer is vital to successful treatment. I believe that the Scottish Government is doing the right things in ensuring that waiting times for cancer patients are down and in highlighting how to detect cancer. We know that there is still more to do but, just a couple of weeks ago, we heard that, between April and June this year, 95.3 per cent of patients with suspected cancer started treatment within the target time of 62 days.

When cancer care nurses are asked what they think is the most effective form of detection, they do not hesitate in saying that breast-screening programmes have been invaluable. Last month’s injection of £12 million to upgrade breast-screening equipment to digital equipment will therefore be welcomed by the health professionals who deal daily with cancer patients.

It is not just the Government and NHS staff who contribute to cancer care. As Jackie Baillie said, many members will have dressed in our finest pink garments and donned interesting accessories for the Breast Cancer Campaign’s annual wear it pink day. Many members have hosted Macmillan Cancer Support’s big coffee mornings. Last week, I was delighted to have one in the office that I share with my colleague Joan McAlpine in Dumfries.

We are familiar with the charity Cancer Research UK and we are here today because of my colleague Linda Fabiani’s motion, which highlights Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s touch, look, check campaign. However, there are many smaller local cancer support networks throughout Scotland, many of which become a lifeline for cancer patients when they undergo treatment and during their recovery period, as I know only too well. I publicly acknowledge those organisations and thank them for all their efforts on behalf of our constituents whom they support.

This evening, we are offering words of gratitude, support and encouragement to breast cancer patients and to the people who assist them. However, that is not all we are doing: I like to think that we are, as parliamentarians, committing ourselves to ensuring that our NHS remains able to support all cancer patients, and that we are committing ourselves to an NHS that is free at the point of need and remains the mainstay of our public services, providing the best possible care and service.

I wish all breast cancer campaigns the best of success in the efforts to raise awareness, and have no doubt that members from all sides of the chamber give their full backing to those campaigns.

17:25