Henry Smith MP today renewed his support for the Breast Cancer Campaign to raise awareness of its biggest fundraising event, wear it pink day.

Crawley schools, colleges and businesses are encouraged to don an item of pink in support of Campaign and each donate £2 to fund innovative world-class breast cancer research.

Last year hundreds of thousands of people took part in wear it pink to help improve survival rates for the one in eight women who experience breast cancer during their lifetime.

Henry said:

“The cause of fighting cancer has always been close to my heart but having lost my mum to the disease over the summer it is an issue I’m even more determined to campaign on. That’s why I’ll be trying to grow a convincing moustache in November to raise awareness of prostate cancer for ‘Movember’ and why I don’t mind donning a pair of pink glasses and looking like Elton John to promote breast cancer awareness!  

“Every year in the UK, around 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women. Although it is rare, men can also suffer from breast cancer, with around 340 men diagnosed each year. I know people who have lost friends and family members to the disease and I would like to encourage everyone in Crawley and throughout the country to support wear it pink, to raise valuable funds for breast cancer research.

“Last year the Government published its cancer strategy, Improving outcomes: A strategy for cancer. This sets out a plan to save an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through earlier diagnosis and improved access to services such as screening and radiotherapy.  Since then, the Health Secretary has provided £50 million of additional funding for cancer drugs in 2010-11 and has now established a £600 million Cancer Drugs Fund over the three years from April 2011.  To date this additional funding has so far helped almost 12,000 cancer patients in England to access the cancer drugs their clinicians recommended.

“Through raising awareness, I hope that potential sufferers are able to get diagnosed as early as possible, giving them a chance of better treatment. The earlier diagnosis money will allow for primary care access to up to two million extra tests, in addition to funding increased testing and treatment in secondary care.”

To take part in the UK’s original and best pink day visit www.wearitpink.co.uk and register to receive your free fundraising pack now.