During the pre-election period in 2005, AICR contacted the major political parties to put forward a policy document to help the new Government decide cancer priorities for the people of the United Kingdom over the next five years.
Download our policy document - Focus For The Future in Word format (219k)
The following is the letter sent to politicians by our former Chief Executive before the election in 2005.
Message from the Chief Executive
Cancer does not discriminate between man, woman or child and it can affect almost any organ in the body - making it the most common cause of death in the UK.
We estimate that over the next five years - the term of office of the newly elected Government - there will be over 775,000 deaths from the disease in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Yet, with early detection, prompt and relevant treatment and effective prevention strategies many of those lives could be saved.
The NHS Cancer Plan sets ambitious targets and highlights plans to give cancer services high priority, guaranteeing quality treatment and care. Scotland has its own plan, "Cancer in Scotland - Action for Change", which has comparable aims. AICR wants to see a commitment to a national standard - after all, cancer does not discriminate and neither should politicians whether they be in Westminster or Edinburgh.
All across the UK we read and hear about inequalities and a difference in survival rates between rich and poor. The newly elected Government must reaffirm the promise to keep cancer a priority and work to make best practice the right of us all.
The scientists and doctors whose work we fund are based all over the world. They know the benefit of collaboration and partnership to bring about change for the benefit of all patients. At AICR we will be lobbying world leaders when they meet this year in Scotland under UK Presidency of the G8 summit, to put cancer on future G8 agendas.
If we are successful, this will be the first time that cancer will be discussed in the same way that other diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS feature in discussions at such an important level. With cancer statistics projected to rise dramatically across the globe over the next five years, we believe that the debate is long overdue, and we are lobbying MPs across the UK to support us.
At AICR we believe it is only through research that we will better understand the causes of cancer and the best ways to treat it, or prevent it developing in the first place. Much of the pioneering work undertaken in the UK is carried out by charities. Unlike some we receive no government support, and we will be lobbying the new Government to provide tax benefits so we, and other organisations like us, can use even more of the money we raise from public donations to fund research.
At AICR we are working for a future free from cancer. This policy document - Focus for the Future - outlines the priorities we believe will begin to make a difference for cancer patients and their families. It can only be achieved in a spirit of partnership and collaboration, and we look forward to working with politicians across the UK to bring about change.
Derek Napier
Chief Executive
