Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert pledged his continued support for cancer research when he met local campaigner Jan Sheward in Westminster last week (Tuesday 5 July).

Jan, from Angmering, travelled to the House of Commons to attend a Cancer Research drop-in event for MPs to highlight the charity’s work to reduce cancer risk.

There are around 3,200 cases of cancer a year in the Coast West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group area, leading to around 1,600 deaths. Cancer Research believes that four in every ten cases of cancer can be prevented.

Being overweight or obese is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking. Cancer Research wants the Government to ban junk food advertising from TV before the 9pm watershed.

Nearly three in ten children in Year 6 in West Sussex are overweight or obese, while over 60 per cent of adults are in the same condition in the Horsham District Council area.

Jan Sheward has been an ambassador for Cancer Research following her own recovery from the disease. She established the country’s first gym dedicated to cancer patients which was opened formally by Nick Herbert in October last year. The ‘C U Fitter’ gym provides programmes tailored to support patients during treatment and recovery. Jan hopes to see more similar gyms opening up across the country.

At Westminster Jan met the Public Health Minister, Jane Ellison, and they discussed how exercise can help people to recover from cancer.

Nick Herbert said: “I was delighted to welcome Jan to Westminster once again. She is a remarkable lady who is driven by a desire to make things better for those who receive a cancer diagnosis.

“Like many people I was fully aware that smoking causes cancer, but I had not appreciated that obesity also increases the risk. The work of Cancer Research is so important and I was happy to support them."

ENDS

Notes

1. Public Health Minister Jane Ellison MP with (centre) Jan Sheward with Nick Herbert MP.

2. To read more about the Cancer Research ‘Junk Free TV’ campaign see www.cruk.org/junkfreetv.

3. To read more about Jan Sheward’s C U Fitter gym see http://www.cufitter.co.uk.

MP meets local Cancer Research Ambassador in Westminster