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Keeping Up Momentum in Scotland

Back in April, we published our brain tumour manifesto ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections to lay out the action the next Scottish Government needs to take to deliver vital progress for those affected by a brain tumour in Scotland.

Thanks to over 100 of you, who added your voice to the campaign and contacted your MSP candidates, there was great cross-party engagement from candidates who have shared their support.
Key parliamentary roles and government ministers have now been appointed and we have now written to the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf MSP, to lay out the action we want to see the new Scottish Government take, to accelerate long overdue progress for people affected by a brain tumour – and ensure that we do not go back to the old normal.

To keep momentum and continue to raise the profile and needs of the brain tumour community in Scotland, we are also working closely with partner charities of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce (LSCT), a coalition of cancer charities seeking to improve survivability for people diagnosed with one of the six least survivable common cancers in the UK.

Within the taskforce, we have established a working group to focus on progress in Scotland, to support – and challenge where need be – the implementation and delivery of the Scottish Government’s Action Plan. This group is particularly focussed on driving earlier diagnosis of brain tumours and other less survivable cancers and ensuring every patient has access to a Clinical Nurse Specialist or key worker.

The cancer care system continues to face extraordinary challenges and campaigning for people affected by a brain tumour is more important than ever before.

And it’s not too late to join us!

Write to your newly-elected MSPs and share our manifesto. If you have more time to give, set up a meeting with them or drop by their surgeries to ask them what they will do in their new role to support everyone affected by a brain tumour.

Our manifesto calls for the Scottish Government to:

  • Ensure every brain tumour patient has access to a Clinical Nurse Specialist or key worker
  • Drive earlier diagnosis of brain tumours
  • Address the impact of the pandemic on surgeries and scans
  • Accelerate access to data for patients and cancer researchers

You can find out which MSPs have been elected in your area, and their contact details, here and read the full manifesto here.

We know that the only way to bring brain tumours down is by stepping up together.

Thank you again for your support of our brain tumour manifesto and work in Scotland so far, championing the need for vital progress towards a future with a cure.