People across Cumbria are being urged to show their support for World Cancer Day today as Cancer Research UK releases new figures revealing that cancer death rates in Cumbria have fallen by 10 per cent over the last 10 years.
The charity is encouraging everyone in the county to wear a Unity Band or make a donation to demonstrate their support for people affected by cancer.
The Unity Band is made of two parts, knotted together, to represent strength in unity.
They are available for a suggested donation of £2 from all Cancer Research UK shops and on the wesbsite.
In 2003, 319 in every 100,000 people in Cumbria died from the disease.
Thanks to research improving outcomes for patients, this fell overall by around 10 per cent to 287 people per 100,000 in 2013.
Research has proved to be the key factor in reducing the number of lives lost to cancer, with improved knowledge about preventing the disease, surgical techniques, precisely targeted radiotherapy and more effective drugs all boosting the outcome for patients.
But, for some cancers, such as liver and pancreatic, the rates of people dying from the disease have increased over the last decade.
Alison Barbuti, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Cumbria, said: “Today, on World Cancer Day, it’s important to remember that even though the death rates are falling, the overall number of people dying from cancer is expected to increase.
“This is because the population is growing and more of us are living longer. Too many people are still being diagnosed with and dying from cancer, not just here in Cumbria, but across the UK and around the globe.
“World Cancer Day provides an opportunity for people in our region, all across the UK and beyond, to ‘band together’ for this one special day and show that united we can beat cancer sooner.
“Thanks to research more people are surviving cancer than ever – but there is still a great deal of work to be done to ensure that more families can stay together for longer.
“Wearing a Unity Band is a simple way to show your support and be part of the generation that transforms the lives of the millions of people affected by cancer. Together we can all do something to reduce the impact of this devastating disease.”