“IT’S ALL of us versus cancer.” That’s the rallying cry from South Staffordshire MP, Gavin Williamson, who is urging his constituents to unite for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.
Joining fellow MPs at a Westminster event last week (March 7), he backed the charity’s call to join the fight against all cancers - by taking part in Race for Life, volunteering on the day or helping to raise vital funds.
Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an amazing women-only series of events which raises millions of pounds every year for life-saving research into 200 types of cancer - helping men, women and children across the Midlands survive.
Mr Williamson said: “It’s all of us versus cancer and Cancer Research UK needs you to join the fight as soon as possible.
“Money raised through Race for Life is crucial to the charity’s life-saving work. Whether you take part on the big day, sponsor friends and family or lend your time as a volunteer, you’ll be making a stand against the disease and a real difference to people with cancer here in our community.”
As part of the fight against all cancers, Cancer Research UK is working to reduce the number of young people who start smoking – nearly 160,000 11 to 15 year olds – every year.
At the Westminster event, Mr Williamson met experts who explained why Cancer Research UK is campaigning to give young people one less reason to start smoking by putting tobacco products in plain packaging – this means with no branding, so all packs look the same with big health warnings. Research shows glitzy tobacco packaging is attractive to young people.
Sarah Woolnough, Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “The battle against cancer never stops, so we’re grateful that Gavin Williamson MP is helping to rally new recruits to our cause. It is money raised through Race for Life that helps us to continue our ground-breaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
“We have already saved millions of lives through our research. Now we want plain packaging for all tobacco products to help prevent children from becoming the next generation of smokers.”
To join the Midlands versus cancer, enter Race for Life at www.raceforlife.org or call 0871 641 1111.