Preseli Pembrokeshire Assembly Member Paul Davies recently met with representatives of Cancer Research UK and even had a go at their Cancer Strategy Jenga! Mr Davies heard how there are around 2,700 cancer cases per year in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area and that to achieve better outcomes for patients, the Welsh Government needs to tackle preventable risk factors and address shortages in the cancer workforce.
Mr Davies said, “It was a pleasure to speak to Cancer Research UK about how we can improve cancer services and patient outcomes for those affected by cancer in Pembrokeshire. I enjoyed playing the Cancer Strategy Jenga and learning about the different ‘planks’ that an ambitious cancer strategy for Wales should have. Thanks to research and improvements in diagnosis and treatment, survival in the UK has doubled since the 1970s so, today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer and hopefully that figure will continue to rise. I will of course, be doing all that I can to call on the Welsh Government to bring forward a cancer strategy – and one that makes a very real difference to patients and their families in Wales.”
