Stuart McMillan MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde joined Breast Cancer Now in Holyrood to support the charity’s flagship campaign, wear it pink, which takes place on Friday October 24.
The campaign, now in its 24th year, has raised over £43 million since it began in 2001 to help fund Breast Cancer Now’s lifesaving research and life-changing support for people affected by the disease.
This year’s Holyrood event, sponsored by Clare Adamson MSP, also shone a spotlight on incurable secondary (metastatic) breast cancer and celebrated the late MSP Christina McKelvie who died from the disease earlier in the year.
Ms McKelvie had been a strong supporter of Breast Cancer Now’s wear it pink and her dedication to championing causes that mattered to her, including raising awareness of breast cancer, was warmly remembered by colleagues in attendance.
Stuart met with Jen Hardy and Alison Tait, who are living with secondary breast cancer, to discuss their experiences and heard the latest on the charity’s calls for the Scottish Government to urgently deliver on their commitment to collect better secondary breast cancer data. This would help ensure that patients like Jen and Alison get the support care and treatment they need.
It’s still not known exactly how many people are living with the incurable disease in Scotland, with the only estimates available suggesting 4,005 people were living with secondary breast cancer in Scotland in 2021. And these estimates only include people who had secondary breast cancer as their first diagnosis, not people whose primary breast cancer later spread.
Commenting, Stuart said:
“I was proud to join Breast Cancer Now in Parliament to show my support for wear it pink, which helps to fund life-saving research and support for people affected by breast cancer.
“I also want to pay tribute to my friend and colleague Christina McKelvie, who previously supported this campaign with such passion. By coming together, we can honour her memory and help ensure that people with secondary breast cancer in Scotland get the care and support they deserve.”
Claire Rowney chief executive of Breast Cancer Now said:
“We’re so grateful to Stuart McMillan MSP for supporting today’s event. Together, we must continue to raise awareness and improve support for people affected by breast cancer in Scotland.
“This year’s wear it pink feels especially poignant as we remember Christina McKelvie MSP, who championed secondary breast cancer patients and the need for them to be counted.
“Now, we urgently need to collect more data on those living with incurable secondary cancer in Scotland to make sure that everyone affected gets the care, treatment and support they need and deserve. By wearing it pink this October, you’ll be helping us fund vital research and support services so that, by 2050, everyone with breast cancer will live and live well.”
Breast Cancer Now is urging people across Scotland to get involved this October by taking part in wear it pink, whether at home, at work or in their community, to help raise money for life-saving research and support services.
