An Oldham celebrity has called for politicians to "turn the tide on cancer" and save thousands of lives.
Former BBC Radio One presenter Nick Grimshaw has urged the next government to back Cancer Research UK's plan to reduce mortality rates, by preventing thousands of future cancers as well as dramatically improving survival.
Ahead of the next general election, which is scheduled to be held no later than January 2025, the charity has published an ambitious plan, which if adopted, it believes could help avoid 20,000 cancer deaths a year across the UK by 2040.
According to the charity, the plan would mean 2,300 fewer people would die in the North West each year.
Nick said: “We must turn the tide on cancer because the problem is growing.
"The fact that half a million people in the UK could be diagnosed with the disease by 2040 is an alarming statistic and one that will send shockwaves through so many families like mine.
“New tools and technologies offer the potential for us to make huge leaps forward in our understanding of cancer and how to beat it."
In 2016, the presenter's dad Peter Grimshaw died of bladder cancer and Nick has been a strong support of Cancer Research UK ever since.
He said: "The future promise this offers for people affected by cancer isn’t guaranteed. We need to back research.
"Cancer Research UK’s plan offers politicians clear direction on how they can help turn hope into reality - meaning more families will be able to spend more moments with the people they love.
"As someone who understands the devastation a cancer diagnosis can bring all too well, this is something we should all get behind.”
Developed with the insight from cancer patients and experts, the plan 'longer, better lives: a manifesto for cancer research and care' outlines five key missions to speed up progress in preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer.
The charity has urged that huge strides forward had been made in beating the disease - with cancer survival in the UK doubling over the last 50 years.
However, it has raised concerns that with NHS cancer services 'in crisis' and with half a million cancer cases a year projected by 2040, of which around an estimated 58,000 could be in the North West, its progress is at risk of stalling.
Cancer Research UK spokesperson for the North West, Jemma Humphreys, said: "People continue to face unacceptable delays to diagnosis and treatment and the UK lags behind comparable countries when it comes to cancer survival."
“The public expect and deserve action. We calculate that the recommendations made within our manifesto for Cancer Research and Care, will reduce cancer mortality by 15 per cent by 2040 - helping avoid 20,000 cancer deaths in the UK every year.
"But only if we act now. I urge everyone to support the manifesto and sign our open letter to party leaders."
She added: "The prize is a legacy of life-saving cancer research and care that will benefit the UK for decades to come.”
The manifesto calls for whichever party assumes number 10 after the general election to commit to developing a 10-year cancer plan.
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