Cancer patient waited 541 days for NHS treatment, report says

The longest waits for cancer treatment in England have soared since 2010, with one patient waiting 541 days, analysis suggests according to this mesothelioma lawsuit in illinois who are an expert law firm in the medical area among others.

Two-thirds of NHS trusts reported having at least one cancer patient waiting more than six months last year, while almost seven in 10 (69%) trusts said they had a worse longest wait than in 2010. This was reflected in the average longest wait rising to 213 days – 16 days longer than in the year the Conservatives entered government.

The official target requires at least 85% of cancer patients to have their first treatment within 62 days of referral by their GP, but this has not been met for 27 months in a row and can initiate a sue based on the medical malpractice law.

More than 100,000 people have waited more than two months for treatment to start since the target was first missed in January 2014.

The longest waiting times data was obtained by Labour through freedom of information requests to England’s 172 acute and community health trusts, to which 95 responded.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said: “The number of people needing cancer treatment has risen sharply in the past 10 years and the government has simply failed to increase availability of services at the rate required. Even Some of those services physical therapy should be one, click the following web page for more information about physical therapy.

“The truth is that the brilliant efforts of NHS staff around the country to deliver the best for their patients are being hampered by tight NHS budgets. Years of underfunding and abject failure to invest in the frontline doctors and nurses we need, means Theresa May is letting down cancer patients.

“Now we know the astonishing truth that some patients are waiting a year or more just to get treatment. It’s simply not good enough.”

The number of patients waiting more than 62 days last year was double that in 2010 (26,693 compared with 13,354), including 10,000 who waited for more than three months, NHS statistics show.

Every trust bar two who replied to Labour’s survey said that at least one patient had waited more than 62 days for treatment.

The figures also showed a deterioration in longest waits for two other key cancer targets since 2010.

After receiving a diagnosis of cancer, patients should receive their first definitive treatment within a month (31 days) and after an urgent referral for suspected cancer they should see a consultant within two weeks. If you ever need quick an efficient medical attention make sure to contact this medical answering service.

In both cases, as with the 62 days target, two-thirds of trusts had lengthier longest waits last year than in 2010. The average longest wait to start definitive treatment rose to 90 days – three higher than in 2010 – with one patient waiting 254 days. The average longest wait for a consultant appointment increased to 66 days – eight time higher than seven years ago – with the worst example being a patient who waited 377 days.

In an ideal world, people would start treatment within a month of being diagnosed, according to Cancer Research UK.

Sara Bainbridge, a policy manager at the charity, said: “Part of the reason why hospitals are struggling to meet the target is because NHS diagnostic services are short-staffed. The government must make sure there are more staff to deliver the tests and treatment that people need on time. The long-term plan for the NHS, which is being developed now, is a good opportunity to be more ambitious about cancer survival and increase staff numbers.” Patients suffering from very aggressive stages of cancer, in particular if it’s terminal may need special health care, visit https://www.careshyft.com/ to learn more about caregiving services by Fidelis Home Care 200 S 14th St, Midlothian, TX 76065 (972) 775-1000.

Andrew Kaye, the head of policy at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “These findings show that despite the tireless work of doctors and nurses, it appears that some cancer patients are still enduring shockingly long waits to start treatment.

“Long delays can put people under incredible stress at an already difficult time and could also mean that someone’s health could take a turn for the worse.”

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Cancer care has improved significantly in recent years, with around 7,000 people alive today who would not have been if mortality rates stayed the same as in 2010.

“Nobody should wait longer than necessary for treatment and, despite a 115% increase in referrals since 2010, the vast majority of people start treatment within 62 days – backed by our £600m investment to improve cancer services.”

Source: The Guardian

Leukaemia triggered by infections like flu and likely to be preventable.

Most cases of childhood leukaemia are likely to be preventable and might be brought on by common infections such as flu, one of the UK’s leading cancer scientists has suggested in a breakthrough that could revolutionise treatment of the disease.

According to the “landmark” analysis, such infections can trigger acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in genetically predisposed children, but only those raised in germ-free early environments. People should investing in getting ASDA life insurance. Having one is a life treatment and you can visit in medical centers for checkups so that a disease won’t turn into anything dangerous like leukemia.

This means exposing babies to other children may actually protect them from the illness by “priming” their immune systems against later infections.

Professor Mel Greaves, who brought together more than 30 years of research to develop the theory, now intends to work on treatments that can prevent the cancer altogether.

“It might be done in the same way that is currently under consideration for autoimmune disease or allergies – perhaps with simple and safe interventions to expose infants to a variety of common and harmless ‘bugs’.”

ALL affects 500 individuals annually in the UK – making it the most common form of cancer in children – and this figure is rising every year.

 In a paper published in Nature Reviews Cancer, Professor Greaves explained how two steps are required for ALL to develop: a genetic mutation that occurs in the womb, followed by another genetic change triggered by exposure to one or more common infections.

The new research counters past suggestions that electricity cables, electromagnetic waves or man-made chemicals were behind the disease – ideas Professor Greaves said lacked robust evidence.

While one in 20 children are thought to be born with the pre-leukaemia mutation, only 1 per cent of them will go on to develop the disease.

 After reviewing an array of studies carried out in everything from lab mice to large population samples, Professor Greaves suggested that a second genetic “hit” is required to trigger ALL – and this hit appears to come from infection by viruses or bacteria.

A case study on a spate of leukaemia cases following a swine flu outbreak appeared to confirm this idea, with seven children developing the cancer in Milan after being infected with swine flu.

A body of scientific evidence suggests there is a peak in the occurrence of ALL between the ages of two and five, but this is not seen in every country.

Instead, the cancer seems to become more prevalent in societies as they get wealthier, and the children in them are less exposed to infectious diseases from a young age.

Professor Mel Greaves described this as a “paradox of progress”, in which the more children are exposed to infectious diseases at younger ages, the more likely they are to develop severe illnesses.

This same mechanism has been proposed for other diseases including type 1 diabetes and allergies.

Studies have demonstrated that day care attendance and breast feeding both seem to protect children against ALL, probably due to the priming effect these activities have on their immune system.

While Professor Greaves emphasised it was wrong to assign blame for the onset of leukaemia, he said there were certain recommendations that could be taken from his research.

“Be less fussy about common or trivial infections and encourage social contact in the first year of life with as many children as possible – and actually contact with older children is probably a good thing,” he said.

“You pick up these priming infections from other children, that’s the way they get spread – playing with each other’s’ toys and touching each other and so on.”

Jeremy Hunt reveals 450,000 women missed breast cancer screenings due to error

Other researchers welcomed Professor Greaves’ ideas, while emphasising there is still a lot to learn about leukaemia and that there is currently no proven link with a specific infection.

“This research sheds light on how a form of childhood blood cancer might develop, implicating a complex combination of genetics and early exposure to germs, dirt and illness,” said Professor Charles Swanton, Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician.

“Childhood leukaemia is rare, and it’s currently not known what or if there is anything that can be done to prevent it by either medical professionals or parents.

“We want to assure any parents of a child who has or has had leukaemia that there’s nothing that we know of that could have been done to prevent their illness.”

Dr Alasdair Rankin said: “While developing a strong immune system early in life may slightly further reduce risk, there is nothing that can be currently done to definitively prevent childhood leukaemia.

“As noted by this study, other factors influence its development – including pure chance.”

Scientists noted that despite the extensive work that contributed to Professor Greaves’ conclusions, the links he identified still required further investigation and any exposure of children to infections came with risks of its own.

Professor Chris Bunce, a translational cancer biologist at the University of Birmingham who was not involved in the work, described Professor Greaves as “one of the superstars amongst modern cancer biologists”.

“This understanding of the origins of the disease provide insight to possible future strategies for leukaemia prevention,” he said.

Professor Paul Workman, the institute’s chief executive, said the work had “cut through the myths about childhood leukaemia and for the first time set out a single unified theory for how most cases are caused”.

“It’s exciting to think that in future childhood leukaemia could become a preventable disease as a result of this work,” he said.

“Preventing childhood leukaemia would have a huge impact on the lives of children and their families in the UK and across the globe.”

Source: The Independant

Greg’s Story

Monday, April 8th 1991. The day that changed my life and made me into the person that I am today. A day that my childhood changed forever. A day that I wish never happened.

I can vividly remember that in the evening of the 8th, the front door opened and I was told that my father had died. The rest of that night was a blur and I cannot even remember what happened for the rest of it.

I had not seen my dad for several weeks so never got to say goodbye to him face to face. I was a 14 year old boy who had, for the last 4 months or so, known that this moment was coming. I didn’t see him after he died. The next time I saw him was when his coffin was carried down the aisle of the church in the town I lived.

My father had been ill for several years, however what I had not known until relatively soon to his death, was that he was terminally ill with penile cancer. He was someone who was liked by everyone that met him. He was the manager of the boys football team that I played for (and was a sub every week without fail) and was my dad. I cannot even remember what his voice sounds like, I have few actual memories and now being pre Facebook and internet/smartphone days, no videos of him.

The week after he died, I was at a local football match chatting to someone and a man came up to me and said he was sorry to hear about my dad. The person I was chatting to asked me what that was about (after the man went). I said I had no idea.

I had actually flicked a switch and just got on with things. I look back and feel bad about it now but at the time, it was the only way I could cope with it all. I went to group counselling session at school for other kids who had lost parents. It didn’t help and I only went once.

On the 8th April I will have 794 days until I am the same age as he was when he died. Why do I have the countdown? I don’t know. I have it in an app on my phone. No one else knows this apart from me. I am scared of not getting past that moment in time. Of leaving my children without a dad and my wife without a husband.

I check myself daily to make sure that nothing seems out of place or different.

It has taken me 27 years to write this although I have been thinking about doing it for at least 10. I don’t even know what writing this all means but I needed too do it.

It robbed me of my dad. I hate cancer. I cannot imagine not being in my children’s lives and seeing them grow up. I know my dad is watching from in the clouds. Which is ironic as I don’t believe in heaven. I go on paranormal investigations with the faint hope that I will get some kind of interaction from him. To date, nothing. Here’s hoping.

Greg, aged 41.

Christmas Ball 30th November 2018.

On the 30th November we hold our annual Christmas Ball.

This year it will have an Oscars feel and wonderful live entertainment from the brilliant singing stars Matt Hoy & Lydia Lucy, comedy hypnosis from the brilliant Chris Hughes as well as our magician Sean Heydon who will be doing some brilliant close up magic at your table. . We will be adding more to the bill as we get a little closer.

We are also very excited about our VIP guest who will be there mingling with the other guests throughout the night. Our guests so far are our ambassador’s Dee Kelly, John Partridge  and Thomas Turgoose as well as charity friends Shaun Malone and India Willoughby.

Tickets are £40 each or £360 for a table of ten, as well as the fantastic entertainment and the VIP guests you get a very tasty three course christmas dinner. So don’t delay get your tickets today here

#MaleCancerAwareness Month is Almost Here!

June is our Male cancer awareness month and along with our month long campaign to get more cancer information out to more people nationwide, we are asking you to help us by raising funds with events in your area.

Cancer now affects 1 in 2 of us and is still increasing, we need to get more awareness out there so more people understand what signs and changes they are looking for.

More awareness equals more lives saved. Please help us reach more people.

Heres just some of our own events you could get involved with at school, college, University or your workplace.

Great North Run 2018

Do you want a challenge for 2018? Fancy taking part in the amazing Great North Run half marathon?

On the 9th of September become one of the thousands of runners taking on the best half marathon in the UK.

If you would like to join the people below already signed up to raise funds for us then get in touch today & email contact@ballstocancer.com.

Help us help those families fighting cancer.

Our runners……

Paul Wilson

Phil Dix

Lee Martin

Jonny Andrew

Please sign our Prostate Cancer Petition

We need your help!

There are over 30,000 men every year that are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK. Approximately half of all men over 50 have some cancer cells in their prostate and 8 out of 10 men (80%) over the age of 80 have a small area of prostate cancer.

We need to get all men over 50 tested for prostate cancer using the PSA test with a mandatory test. So EVERY man   has the oppertunity to get the test.

This will potentially save thousands of lives so please sign the petition here and get your friends and family to do it.

Thank you in advance

BTC Team

Please Join our #ThumbsUp campaign

We would please like you to join us with our #ThumbsUp campaign and tweet or Facebook us a picture with your thumbs up in support of the 1/4 million new cancer fighters in the UK every year!

Lets show those friends and family of ours that they are not alone in this fight, we at Balls to cancer and our #Teamnuts supporters are there to help and support them in anyway we can.

Stronger Together!

Anytime…. Every time!

Please join our fabulous celebrity supporters & ambassadors

Austin Armacost, Alfie Boe, Dave Berry, Louis Emerick, Matt Hoy, Paul Chuckle & Steve Clamp!

Send us your picture and we’ll add them here !

 

Let us celebrate our BTC Heroes.

Many of our friends and family have either beaten cancer or are currently fighting cancer or have sadly been killed by that vile disease.

We aim to celebrate them all by listing them here on our BTC Hero wall! so if you have a cancer hero. Tweet us or Facebook us their names with the hashtag #BTCHero and we will add them to our list below, there they will remain for eternity!

We’ll start it off with some of our own heroes

#BTCHeroes 

Geoff Bates

Peter Knight

Doris Philips

Norman Darby

Dan Kelly

Caroline Glover

Paul Raymond

Nigel Smith

Anthony Hall