Public urged to get cancer symptoms checked

Famous faces are backing a major new campaign urging anyone concerned about cancer to get checked and to keep routine appointments.

New research found that even now, 48 per cent of the public would delay or not seek medical help at all. Of that figure, 22 per cent would not want to be a burden on the health service while a similar number said that fear of getting coronavirus or passing it onto others was a major reason for not getting help.

More than four in ten people would leave it longer to get health advice than they normally would have before the coronavirus outbreak.

However delaying can have serious consequences for some cancers. The NHS’s Help Us Help You access campaign will use TV adverts, billboards and social media to urge people to speak to their GP if they are worried about a symptom that could be cancer, and also remind pregnant women to attend check-ups and seek advice if they are worried about their baby. Famous faces, including TV chefs Gordon Ramsay, Nadiya Hussein, and actress Emma Thompson are backing the new campaign.

Nikki Kanani, GP and medical director for primary care in England said: Alongside treating 110,000 people with coronavirus, NHS staff have gone to great lengths to make sure that people who do not have Covid can safely access services.

“So whether you or a loved one has a routine appointment, or a potential cancer symptom, our message is clear – you are not a burden, we are here to safely care for you so please don’t delay – Help Us Help You and come forward as you usually would. Cancer is easier to treat when it’s caught at an earlier stage and so coming forward for a check could save your life.”