Ask your MP to prioritise early diagnosis
Today 17 people will be diagnosed with myeloma. A third of them will have visited their GP at least 3 times before getting the correct diagnosis. It’s time to change this.
Myeloma has one of the longest times to diagnosis of any cancer. Half of those diagnosed with myeloma waited more than 5 months for a correct diagnosis.
Current government targets do not work for myeloma. Together we can change this.
We need your help
Last year an incredible 4,800 of you joined our open letter to the government and demanded that they make myeloma a priority. That letter led directly to questions being asked in parliament, putting myeloma on the political agenda.
It shows that when we act together, we can be a force for change.
To build on that important work we’re asking you now to email your MP and ask them to prioritise improving times to diagnosis for myeloma.
We're doing this now because in a few months' time the government will publish a new cancer strategy for England. We need MPs to be ready to step up and make sure that the cancer strategy works for myeloma.
People with myeloma cannot wait, it’s time that politicians make the policy changes we need to end delays in diagnosis. It’s time to end delays in diagnosis of myeloma.
What we’re calling for
We are calling on the government and political parties to bring forward targets that will meaningfully improve time to diagnosis for myeloma.
Myeloma currently has one of the longest times to diagnosis of any cancer, the later people are diagnosed the more likely they are to have additional complications at the time of diagnosis.
Four easy steps to get involved
- Fill in your details using the form on this page. This lets us match you with your local MP.
- Please also include why this issue is important to you, this could be about the issues you or someone close to you faced in getting the right diagnosis. This will appear in your email to your MP.
- The email will be automatically generated using our template email and the details you’ve included. You'll be able to see it at this point. Then – you just need to click the “Send message now” button to send your email to your local MP. Don’t forget to let us know when you receive a reply!
- Share this campaign with as many people so we're able to connect with as many MPs as possible and show them it's an issue that's important to lots of their constituents.
What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Health is a devolved issue and this means that health policy is set by each of the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
However it is still important to let MPs in these areas know about the issues surrounding early diagosis of myeloma.
There will be devolved elections in Scotland and Wales next year, and elections in Northern Ireland in 2027. We're asking that MPs, who represent constituencies in the devolved nations, consider early diagnosis of myeloma as part of their manifesto commitments.
If your live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland then the email generated will have specific asks for the devolved nations.