Local Campaigners Fight for Better Cancer Service

11.26.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 11th Oct 2004

A local Cancer Users' Forum is pressing the West Middlesex Hospital to provide a service to sufferers from Lymphoedema (this disease, a serious swelling of the limbs is associated with breast cancer in particular but three quarters of sufferers do not have cancer. At least 100,000 people in the UK, perhaps 500 people in the borough, are affected).

At present there is no local service. There are instances of patients at the West Middlesex being unable to receive treatment. Others are referred to Ealing where the waiting list is so long it has been closed.

Vincent Cable MP has supported the local group and is promoting an Early Day Motion in Parliament to give a higher profile to the issue. He said, "It is simply not acceptable that local hospitals do not have facilities or trained staff to deal with a common illness. My late wife Olympia had this condition, associated with her breast cancer, but she had access to excellent care at the Royal Marsden. Those who cannot get referrals to the specialist hospitals, get no treatment."