Real Life Cancer Bus

NHS Cancer Bus-ting tour in Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, on Friday, December 1, 2023.

Transcript

00:00 I am Dr Richard Root, one of the doctors working with the Cancer Bus.

00:03 So tell me where we are and what we're doing here today.

00:06 So we're at the Portsmouth Guildhall and we're trying to raise awareness of signs that could be cancer.

00:11 So what we know is that early cancer, if it's caught at that early stage, 5 out of 6 cases will be cured.

00:16 So we're really keen to make people aware of what symptoms and signs might be cancer.

00:21 So for instance a persistent cough, blood that is somewhere where it shouldn't be, pain that isn't going away

00:27 and if you're losing weight for no good reason, any of those, go and see your GP.

00:31 So tell me why it's important for this cancer tour.

00:35 So really important that we get the message out there because we know that delayed diagnosis of cancer results in worse outcomes

00:43 and it's better for everyone if you get that cancer diagnosed early because if it's caught early, 5 out of 6 cases will be cured.

00:50 Rachel, could you tell me your journey with cancer?

00:54 So in 2017 I found a lump in my chest which I did ignore for a couple of months because I thought I could muscle up

01:02 but was actually breast cancer.

01:05 I was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer so thankfully it was very treatable.

01:11 I had a mastectomy and I also went through chemotherapy.

01:15 Tell me why it's so important to catch cancer at the earliest stages.

01:21 The earlier that you catch it, the more treatable it is.

01:25 I think early detection is vital.

01:29 People are afraid to go to the GP or maybe brush it off as something else

01:35 but I think anything that changes with your body, no matter how small, if it's not right for you, you should go and get it looked at

01:41 because if it is cancer, the earlier it's detected, the easier it is to treat.