14 February 2012

A couple who fell in love after surviving cancer are encouraging people to check the health of their partners this Valentine’s Day in a bid to boost cancer survival rates.

Rita Middleditch and her partner Graham said the most romantic day of the year was perfect timing for people to discuss their health.

Rita said: “I was fortunate enough to survive breast cancer before meeting Graham, who’d been successfully treated for throat cancer, four years ago.

“Once you’ve been sick, you never take your health for granted again so we are both vigilant about our wellbeing and check in with each other regularly to make sure everything is ok.

“People need to visit their GP if they have a symptom or concern that just won’t go away, like a cough that lasts for longer than three weeks or a swelling under your breast or arm.”

Rita is an ambassador for the ‘small c’ NHS health campaign aims to save thousands of lives annually through early cancer detection.  It’s been proven that most cancers can be successfully treated if caught when they are small.  

The first phase of the campaign is targeting breast and lung cancer, the two most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer, affecting almost 90,000 people a year in the UK.

Rita said: “It may not be the traditional Valentine’s present that springs to mind, but an honest conversation and health check with your partner is just as thoughtful as a bouquet of roses or diamond ring.

“It could save your life which is the best present of all to give a loved one.”

Barts and The London NHS Trust Consultant Clinical Oncologist Paula Wells echoed the calls for people to visit their GP if they detected a worrying sign or symptom.

“It’s very easy for people to become so caught up with life that it’s tempting to ignore concerns because you’re too busy to visit your GP.

“However, the longer you leave it, the longer it has to potentially develop into something that is much harder to treat.

“Visiting your GP straight away helps catch serious diseases like cancer when it’s small and easier to treat”.

Symptoms to watch out for while spending time with your loved one this Valentine’s Day include:

For breast cancer:
•    Lump which may not be seen but can be felt
•    Changes in skin texture e.g. dimpling/puckering
•    Changes in appearance or direction of nipple
•    Nipple discharge
•    Rash or crusting

For lung cancer:
•    A cough for more than three weeks or if a cough has changed or got worse
•    Shortness of breath
•    Coughing up phlegm with blood in it
•    Hoarse voice
•    Unexplained weight loss  

If people spot any of the following symptoms they should visit their GP without delay:

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Notes to editors

The ‘small c’ campaign
The ‘small c’ campaign is alerting people to the warning signs of cancer and the need to go to the doctor without delay. Spotting cancer early saves lives, and the ‘small c’ campaign is designed to help people recognise symptoms when the cancer is still small and more vulnerable to treatment.  Research shows that up to 10,000 deaths in the UK each year could be avoided, primarily through earlier diagnosis when the disease can be treated more successfully.

The first phase of the campaign is targeting breast and lung cancer, the two most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer, affecting almost 90,000 people a year in the UK.

The first phase of the campaign is being funded by the Department of Health through the National Awareness and Early diagnosis Initiative. The initiative is a partnership between NHS East London and the City, NHS Waltham Forest, Barts and The London NHS Trust and the North East London Cancer Network.   Other partners are Barts Cancer Centre, Homerton, Newham and Whipps Cross University Hospitals, as well as local GPs, pharmacists and community groups.   

Visit www.smallc.org.uk for more information.

Barts and The London is one of Britain’s top teaching hospital trusts.  Our mission is literally to bring excellence to life – to give patients the best possible care so that they can live better, fuller, longer lives. Barts and the London is preparing to merge with Newham and Whipps Cross University Hospitals to create the biggest Trust in the NHS that would bring multiple benefits to patients by sharing the best of the talent, technology and facilities across the three trusts. Subject to a final approvals process, the new trust would become operational from 1 April 2012.