Cancer survivor launches partnership

On Friday she joined staff at the Altnagelvin supermarket, for the official launch of the ‘Charity of the Year’ partnership, through which Tesco aims to raise £10 million to fund 32 early diagnosis research projects across the UK, including Northern Ireland. It coincided with the launch of a new in-store customer awareness campaign by Cancer Research UK, in which leaflets on the early signs of cancer will be on display at checkouts.

Margaret who was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago, and had a radical mastectomy of her left breast, backed the campaign by telling her story so that other people would become more aware of the benefits of self-examination and screening: “When I was detected I went to the clinic one week for screening and was in theatre the following week. It was an awful shock to me, and was still numb when I came home from hospital. I came home in a dream state. In fact, I don’t know how I got home, but while I accepted that it had happened to me I was relieved it was me and had not happened to one of the children.

“I think awareness is important. Self-examination and screening are worthwhile. What happened to me happened 10 years ago and even in that time a lot more is now in place to help people in terms of drugs and treatments, and the partnership between Cancer Research UK and Tesco will help to raise even more money for research, which will all contribute to greater chances of survival for people diagnosed with cancer,” she said, adding: “I would encourage people to support the campaign without initiatives like this we would not have the same levels of research being undertaken or drugs to treat people.”

Even before her detection, Margaret was a volunteer in the Cancer Research shop on Ferryquay Street, and her success at beating cancer has made her determined to do what she can to help others.

“I’m so excited to be launching this partnership between Cancer Research UK and Tesco. I am one of the lucky ones and I am now well and enjoying life to the full.”

The launch coincides with the publication of Cancer Research UK’s new survey, funded by Tesco, which shows more than three quarters of people asked to list possible warning signs and symptoms of cancer failed to mention pain. And similar numbers failed to mention coughing or problems with bowels or bladder.

Around 3,810 people in Northern Ireland lose their lives to cancer every year and one problem the survey highlighted was the overwhelming failure to recognise common cancer symptoms, which resulted in late diagnosis.

Margaret said she believeed the new partnership was “a really positive step forward” in helping people survive cancer.

Jean Walsh, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Northern Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to have Margaret launch our Charity of the Year partnership with Tesco. Her experience really brings home how important early diagnosis of cancer is. If patients are diagnosed when cancer is still in its early stages, before it has had a chance to spread to other parts of the body, treatment is more likely to be successful.”