Earlier this year, voters across Wales and Scotland headed to the polls! Elections provide a valuable opportunity to engage decision makers and raise awareness of the challenges facing those affected by ovarian cancer.
To make ovarian cancer a priority for new and returning Members of the Senedd and Scottish Parliament, we developed three key targets for each nation. We travelled to Cardiff and Edinburgh to share these priorities and encourage elected representatives to work with us to deliver meaningful change for women affected by ovarian cancer.
Wales
For the first time in almost 20 years, Wales voted for a change in government, with Plaid Cymru forming the Welsh Government. Alongside this, 30 new Members joined the Senedd.
With a new government and new opportunities to influence change, we launched our Three Targets to Transform the Future of Ovarian Cancer in Wales at the Senedd on 15 September.
On the day, we were delighted to be joined by our campaigners Linda and Sarah, who brought our three targets to life by sharing their personal experiences of ovarian cancer and the need for greater awareness and action to improve outcomes for women across Wales.
The event was kindly sponsored by Mike Hedges MS, and we were pleased to welcome 15 Members of the Senedd throughout the day. For many, it was their first opportunity to engage with Target Ovarian Cancer, leading to many valuable conversations.
Members left with our briefing and awareness materials, and we are already exploring opportunities to work together to share these more widely and raise awareness of ovarian cancer across Wales.
It felt really positive to be part of the event and have the chance to speak with Members of the Senedd about my experience of ovarian cancer. Only by hearing our experiences can Members of the Senedd appreciate how important it is for there to be change in Wales."
Before the event, we welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement of a new 10-year National Cancer Strategy for Wales, one of our three key targets. We look forward to working with the Welsh Government to ensure it addresses the needs of women with ovarian cancer. You can read our response to the consultation here.
Scotland
On 27 October, we shared our Three Targets to Transform the Future of Ovarian Cancer in Scotland with MSPs. Building on strong relationships with elected representatives, the event helped strengthen support for our priorities and engage newly elected MSPs in improving outcomes for women with ovarian cancer.
Our Target Ovarian Cancer Champion, Jackie Baillie MSP, kindly sponsored the event. We were delighted to welcome 28 MSPs, many of whom met with our campaigners Mags, Dot and Claire. Their personal experiences of ovarian cancer sparked valuable conversations and highlighted the importance of listening to those affected by the disease.
Our third target, improving access to surgery, struck a real chord with MSPs. Many newly elected members have offered their support and committed to working with us to ensure women across Scotland can access the care they need.
“It felt great to be able to be there and be part of the contribution to push for change. I have been working with Target Ovarian Cancer for a number of years, urging the Scottish Government to take action to improve access to ovarian cancer surgery. Too many women, particularly in the West of Scotland, have had to repeatedly advocate for themselves to receive lifesaving treatment. I was encouraged by how engaged MSPs were on the day and their willingness to work with us to tackle the inequalities women face in accessing surgery.”
Sharing our three targets is just one way we are engaging with elected representatives across the UK. We are campaigning for the changes needed to improve outcomes for women with ovarian cancer in all four nations, and next year we look forward to launching our targets in Northern Ireland.
Together, we can ensure everyone knows the symptoms, can access the right tests, and receive the best possible treatment and care.
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