8. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Bowel cancer

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:46 pm on 16 May 2018.

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Photo of Hefin David Hefin David Labour 4:46, 16 May 2018

Such evidence needs to be presented by Public Health Wales, and I'd like to give the Cabinet Secretary a chance to answer that specific question.

At the Senedd on 6 February, though, I also—and perhaps in answer to David Melding—I spoke to an oncologist who raised some questions about changing the age range. He wasn't talking about over-75s, he was talking about lowering it to 50, and his professional view was that the net could risk being spread too widely and too thinly if the appropriate support mechanisms were not in place if you lowered the age range. So, if you're going to lower the age range, you've got to have professional public health advice to say that the system is ready to support that. I think, if the Welsh Government could, they would lower it straight away to 50, but you've got to have sufficient support mechanisms being placed that won't disadvantage those who are already being tested. I'm mindful that there are other public health professionals who would take a different view, and they all form a valuable contribution, but I think the key is to listen to Public Health Wales's advice and see that the age range is lowered, I would hope, as swiftly as the Government can do it.

Colleagues will also want to contribute to the debate today about their own experiences, and Dawn Bowden has given me this faecal immunochemical testing screening kit, courtesy of Bowel Cancer UK, and I understand this is in the process of being rolled out in Wales, following pilot schemes that suggested a boost in uptake of 5 to 10 per cent. I can see yours on your desk there as well, Dawn Bowden. By bringing in examples of these screening testing kits, we hope to break the taboo of testing. That's part of what we're trying to do today—break the taboo of testing.

But I just want to finish with my personal stories of friends with bowel cancer. In the 2016 election, my UKIP opponent was a hugely engaging person by the name of Sam Gould. Sam's personality, energy and lust and love for life shone through in everything he did. He was struck down last year with bowel cancer and he died at the age of 33. Sam became my friend, I visited him in hospital, and I miss him. I think that Sam's courage is something we can take many lessons from. I'll never forget the time Sam brought Nigel Farage to Gelligaer during the Assembly election of 2016, and he even took a picture of me shaking hands with Nigel Farage, which is floating about somewhere on the internet. I think Sam would laugh now if that was ever to come to light.

I also speak for our very valued and great friend Steffan Lewis. Steffan is a wonderful individual and has made a fantastic contribution to this Assembly. He's currently off sick. We're thinking of Steffan today, with his illness, and I want to make my speech in his name. We wait for him to come back and we wish him the very best with his treatment and, please God, recovery. As I'm sure Members are aware, Steffan's sister has arranged a sponsored walk on 14 July in order to raise funds for Velindre Cancer Centre, and I can think of no better way for us to support him and his cause.

Therefore, I recommend this motion to the Chamber today, and I hope that the debate will set out in more detail and more depth the issues that we face, so that we can then work together to deliver the very best services for patients with bowel cancer here in Wales and do what we all want to do, which is to beat bowel cancer.